Koronadal City, South Cotabato. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Office XII conducted a technical briefing for the planning officers of the Regional Line Agencies and Provincial and City Planning and Development Offices on June 19, 2020 through a video conference.
The activity was a levelling-off session among the planners for the preparation of inputs and schedule that will serve as the roadmap in crafting the Volume 2- Rehabilitation and Resiliency Plan 2021-2022 of the SOCCSKSARGEN-Regional Recovery Plan (Sox-RRP) 2020-2022.
Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos of NEDA Region XII emphasized that in the said volume of the RRP, the spatial dimension must be considered especially the growth corridors of the Region in anticipation of the full implementation of the Exectuive Order 114 or the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program.
She also highlighted that the results of the NEDA Online Survey, Focused Group Discussion (FGD) covering business sector, several Economic Stimulus Packages and the proposed extension of the RA 10469 – Bayanihan to Heal as One Act shall serve as inputs to the plan.
The plan’s Volume 1- Regional Economy Restart Plan focused on the recovery phase or the short-term period from May to December 2020. “Under Volume 1, it is ensured that government strategies and resources are focused on the urgent recovery interventions for CoVID-19, thus priority PPAs were realigned inorder to abide with RA 10469 or the Bayanihan We Heal as One Act.” as elucidated by RD Ramos.
Among the presentations made during the briefing were the salient features of the EO 114 Implementing Guidelines; the key findings of the Online Survey and FGD with Business Sector; and, the Outline for Volume 2 of the Plan.
Series of planning activities are scheduled for the NEDA Technical Staff with its partner regional and local planners starting June 26 to complete the SOX-RRP Volume 2. The said volume is expected to be completed and shall be presented to the RDRRMC XII, RDC XII, RIATF-EID XII and RTF XII on COVID 19 by August 2020.
RD Ramos shared to the planners a quote saying “Plan for what could be done for the future, but also focus on what should be undertaken in the present.” (Gwyneth Grace B. Collado, NEDA XII – PFPD)