EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
SENATE
S. No. 1424
0Siu oCtljf
20 APR 16 A 8 '47
RECti'/.C SV
- (
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ECONOMIC DECENTRALIZATION PLAN TO 
FACILITATE FURTHER GROWTH IN ALL REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article XII Section 1 of the Constitution states that, "The goals of the national 
economy are a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth; a 
sustained increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the nation for 
the benefit of the people; and an expanding productivity as the key to raising the 
quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged." Further, it provides, "In the 
pursuit of these goals, all sectors of the economy and all regions of the country shall 
be given optimum opportunity to develop."
It is therefore imperative upon the national government to set up and 
maintain an economic infrastructure that will guarantee the development not only of 
its capital city and its neighboring provinces, but aii of the regions, including the 
remote communities and the countryside.
Unfortunately, certain indicators show that economic activities are heavily 
concentrated in the National Capital Region (NCR). In fact, a lion's share (36%) of 
the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2018 comes from NCR. Meanwhile, 
Region IVA (CALABARZON) and Region III (Central Luzon) contribute 17% and 
9.8%, respectively to the GDP.' Together, the three regions alone contribute to more


than 60% of the country's GDP. Moreover, 20.36% of Micro, Small and Medium 
Enterprises (MSMEs) are located in the NCR. The capital region, together with 
CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas, (i.e. five regions 
out of seventeen) accounts for 60% of the total number of MSMEs in the country in 
2018.H
On a related note, NCR, Region III, and Region IVA reported the lowest 
poverty incidence rates among population for 2018."'
This proposed measure seeks to assist the poorer regions in attaining 
inclusive and sustained economic growth through a National Economic 
Decentralization Plan which will explore and implement strategies geared towards 
industrial relocation and creation of new urban centers. Also, the bill seeks to bring 
outside Metro Manila quality health care and learning facilities through the creation 
of specialty hospitals similar to the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the 
Philippines, and the like across the country, and the establishment of Regional 
Centers of Excellence for education and skills development.
In this light, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
RAMOf)l/^i^REVILLA, 3R.
https://psa.gov.ph/regional-ac-counts/grdp/tiighlif;lits
' httPs://www.dti.p.ov.ph/resource5/msme-statistics/
* https://psa.gov.ph/.sitcs/default/files/2018%20Full%20Yea>%20Povertv%20Stati5tic5%20 FtNAL.pdf


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1424
O'ticf ct!;)? ©ffrrtflrj)
20 m 16 AS :48
RcCwiv! "j Vt
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ECONOMIC DECENTRALIZATION PLAN TO 
FACILITATE FURTHER GROWTH IN ALL REGIONS OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the '"The Progresibong
2 
Pilipinas Para sa Lahat ng Piiipino Act'.
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a policy of the State to ensure the
4 
equitable distribution of wealth and opportunity to each Filipino through good
5 
governance in conjunction with consistent national policies, coordinated regional
6 
strategies and a clear blueprint towards a progressive Philippines for every Filipino.
7 
Sec. 3. Philippine Decentralization Committee. - There is hereby created a
8 
Philippine Decentralization Committee (PDC) to be chaired by the Executive
9 
Secretary with the following members:
10 
(a) Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
11 
(b) Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF);
12 
(c) Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM);
13 
(d) Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr);
14 
(e) Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority
15 
(NEDA);
16 
(f) Representative from the League of Governors;


1 
(g) Representative from the League of Cities; and
2 
(h) Experts from the private sector and the academe in the following, but not
3 
limited to, fields of expertise: urban planning and management, supply
4 
chain management, and agri-business, and industrial growth.
5 
Sec. 4. Philippine Decentralization Plan (PDP). - The PDC shall formulate a 5-
6 
year midterm, and a 10-year long-term plan within the One Hundred Eighty (180)
7 
days from the effectivity of this Act, containing the following:
8 
(a) Comprehensive studies focusing on the challenges and opportunities for
9 
regional economic development;
10 
(b) Proposals on infrastructure and human capital investments in order to
11 
create economic opportunities 
across the regions based on 
their
12 
geography, natural resources, human resources, economic profile,
13 
technology, culture and traditions, among others;
14 
(c) Assessment of possible relocation sites for industries and enterprises
15 
outside Metro Manila and provision of incentives and benefits therefor.
16 
Sec. 5. Philippine Healthcare Development Program. - There is hereby
17 
established a Philippine Healthcare Development Program, which provides for an
18 
integrated and comprehensive approach to health development by ensuring
19 
adequate health facilities to support the improvement and sustainability of the
20 
healthcare system with the goal of providing effective and affordable services for the
21 
entire Philippine popuiation and improving health outcomes. The program shall also
22 
provide for the establishment of specialty hospitals within Northern and Southern
23 
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao similar to those currently existing in Metro Manila such
24 
as the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Nationai Kidney and
25 
Transplant Institute, and Philippine Orthopedic Center.
26 
Sec. 6. Regional Centers for Excellence Development Program. - There is
27 
hereby estabiished Regionai Centers for Exceilence Development Program, which
28 
provides assured funding in the amount of 100 Biliion Philippine Pesos (Php 100
29 
Biiiion) for the estabiishment and development of Regional Centers for Excellence
30 
outside of Metro Manila focusing on education and skilis development to be
31 
determined by the Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), the


1 
Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Director
2 
Generai of the Technicai Education and Skiiis Deveiopment Authority (TESDA).
3 
Sec. 7. Decentralization of Procurement Procedures for Major Projects. For
4 
major projects iocated in areas outside Metro Maniia, bidding and procurement
5 
mechanisms must be estabiished to aiiow the aforementioned procedures to take
6 
place in the region/s involved.
7 
Sec. 8. Provision of Tax Incentives for Industries Located Outside NCR. With
8 
purposes of attracting investments and dispersing industries to all regions outside
9 
NCR, the DOF shall be responsible for providing appropriate incentives to locators
10 
and investors who situate or relocate their businesses or enterprises outside Metro
11 
Manila.
12 
Sec. 9. Appropriation and Period of Implementation. The PDF under this Act
13 
shall be implemented over a period of ten (10) years. Within ninety (90) days from
14 
the effectivity of this Act, and every year thereafter, the President, upon the
15 
recommendation of the PDC, shall prepare the list of specific priority programs,
16 
projects and activities that need to be funded for the year, and submit the same to
17 
Congress for its consideration and approval in a joint resolution of the House of
18 
Representatives and the Senate.
19 
The annual appropriations for the PDP shall be included in the National
20 
Expenditure Program which reflects the amounts necessary to support the funding
21 
requirements for all programs, activities and projects approved by Congress under
22 
the preceding paragraph. The funds to be appropriated by Congress under this Act
23 
shall be treated as a distinct and separate budget item from the regular
24 
appropriation of the implementing agencies and shall be administered by the heads
25 
thereof. For the next five (5) years there shall be a periodic review of funding
26 
requirements to determine the need for adjustments as necessary.
27 
The PDC shall have an initial funding of 100 Million Philippine pesos (Php 100
28 
Million) to conduct a comprehensive study referred to in Section 4 of this Act.
29 
Sec. 10. Annual Reports. TTie PDC shall coordinate with the relevant national
30 
government agencies and local government units and prepare a consolidated
31 
progress report of the implementation of all priority programs, projects and activities
32 
funded under this Act.


1 
Within the first quarter of the succeeding year, the PDC shall submit an
2 
annual report to the Office of the President, the Senate, and the House of
3 
Representatives. Such report shall be made available to the public for scrutiny,
4 
copying, and reproduction, and shall also be uploaded in the PDCs website.
5 
Sec. 11. Congressional Oversight Committee. There is hereby created a
6 
Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of
7 
the provisions of this Act. The Committee shall be composed of six (6) members
8 
from the Senate and six (6) members from the House of Representatives with the
9 
Chairpersons of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the Senate and the House of
10 
Representatives as joint Chairpersons of this Committee. The five (5) other members
11 
from each Chamber are to be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker
12 
of the House of Representatives, respectively. The minority shall be entitled to pro
13 
rata representation but shall have at least (2) representatives from each Chamber.
14 
Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
15 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
16 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
17 
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
18 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation
19 
contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
20 
modified, or amended accordingly.
21 
Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
22 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
23
24 
Approved,