NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Since 2015, the Philippine GDP Annual Growth Rate has been anywhere from 5.5 to 
7.2. However, we are still very much focused in Metro Manila as shown by the fact that, as 
per data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, around 40% of business establishments with 
a total employment of 20 and over in the formal sector of the economy are in NCR; majority 
of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are also in NCR with 192,316 
establishments. 
This has resulted in overcrowding in Metro Manila and a very, very bad traffic 
situation. There is therefore a need to spread the attention to the different parts of country, 
especially in Mindanao.  
Hence this bill which is aimed at creating a more progressive Philippines for every 
Filipino through: 
1. Conducting periodic comprehensive studies on focusing on challenges and
opportunities for regional economic development;
2. Ensure quality health and education facilities in all regions;
3. Establishment of Regional Centers of Excellence;
4. Determine the appropriate region and specific location to transfer selected
National Government Agencies (NGA) including the transfer of the various NGAs;
and
5. Establish mechanisms of decentralization including procurement procedures
implemented at a regional level, among others.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ 
May 3, 2023
4:06 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez 
House Bill No.  _____ 
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 Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1.  Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the “Progresibong Pilipinas Para sa 
Lahat ng Pilipino Act”. 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to ensure the equitable 
distribution of wealth and opportunity to each Filipino through good governance in 
conjunction with consistent national policies, coordinated regional strategies, and a clear 
blueprint towards a progressive Philippines for every Filipino. 
Section 3. Philippine Decentralization Committee.  – There is hereby created a Philippine 
Decentralization Committee (PDC) to be chaired by the Executive Secretary with the 
following members:  
a. Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH);
b. Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF);
c.
Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM);
d. Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr);
e. Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA);
f.
Representative from the League of Governors;
g. Representative  from the League of Cities; and
h. Experts from the private sector and the academe in the following, but not limited
to, fields of expertise: urban planning and management, supply chain
management, and agro-business, and industrial growth.
Section 4. Philippine Decentralization Plan. – The PDC shall formulate a 5 year midterm, 
and a 10 year long-term plan within One Hundred Eighty (180) days from the effectivity of 
this Act, containing the following: 
a. Comprehensive studies focusing on the challenges and opportunities for regional
economic development; and
b. Assessment of possible relocation sites for government offices and employees
and provision of incentives and benefits therefor.
Section 5.  Relocation of National Government Agencies (NGA). - The PDC shall 
conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on the possibility of transferring or relocating 
NGAs, which will include the necessary infrastructure, technology, equipment, and other 
facilities to ensure effective and efficient communication and coordination between and 
among the various NGAs with the end view of enhancing the delivery of public goods and 
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services in the regions/countryside. As far as practicable, each region must have at least 
one major NGA.  
 
Section 6. Philippine Healthcare Development Program. - There is hereby established a 
Philippine Healthcare Development Program, which provides for an integrated and 
comprehensive approach to health development by ensuring adequate health facilities to 
support the improvement and sustainability of the healthcare system with the goal of 
providing effective and affordable services for the entire Philippine population and improving 
health outcomes. The program shall also provide for the establishment of specialty hospitals 
within Northern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao similar to those currently 
existing in Metro Manila such as the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, 
National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and Philippine Orthopedic Center. 
 
Section 7. Regional Centers for Excellence Development Program. – There is hereby 
established Regional Centers for Excellence Development Program, which provides assured 
funding in the amount of 100 Billion Philippine Pesos (Php 100 Billion) for the establishment 
and development of Regional Centers for Excellence outside of Metro Manila focusing on 
education and skills development to be determined by the Secretary of the Department of 
Education (DepEd), the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and 
the Director General Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).  
 
Section 8. Decentralization of Procurement Procedures for Major NGA Projects. For 
major NGA projects located in areas outside Metro Manila, bidding and procurement 
mechanisms must be established to allow the aforementioned procedures to take place in 
the region/s involved. 
 
Section 9. Provision of Tax Incentives for Industries Locating Outside NCR. – With 
purposes of attracting investments and dispersing industries to all regions outside NCR, the 
DOF shall be responsible for providing appropriate incentives to locators and investors who 
situate or relocate their businesses or enterprises outside Metro Manila. 
 
Section 10. Appropriations and Period of Implementation. – The PDP  under this Act 
shall be implemented over a period of ten (10) years. Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, and every year thereafter, the President, upon the recommendation of 
the PDC, shall prepare the list of specific priority programs, projects and activities that need 
to be funded for the year, and submit the same to Congress for its consideration and 
approval in a joint resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  
The annual appropriations for the PDP shall be included in the National Expenditure 
Program which reflects the amounts necessary to support the funding requirements for all 
programs, activities and projects approved by Congress under the preceding paragraph. The 
funds to be appropriated by Congress under this Act shall be treated as a distinct and 
separate budget item from the regular appropriation of the implementing agencies and shall 
be administered by the heads thereof. For the next five (5) years, there shall be a periodic 
review of funding requirements to determine the need for adjustments as necessary. 
 
The PDC shall have an initial funding of 100 Million Philippine Pesos (Php 100 
Million) to conduct a comprehensive study referred to in Section 4 of this Act. 
 
Section 11. Annual Reports. - The PDC shall coordinate with the relevant national 
government agencies and local government units and prepare a consolidated progress 
report of the implementation of all priority programs, projects and activities funded under this 
Act. 
Within the first quarter of the succeeding year, the PDC shall submit an annual report 
to the Office of the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Such report 
shall be made available to the public for scrutiny, copying, and reproduction, and shall also 
be uploaded in the PDC’s website.  


Section 12. Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a 
Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of the 
provisions of this Act. The Committee shall be composed of six (6) members from the 
Senate and six (6) members from the House of Representatives with the Chairpersons of the 
Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Government Reorganization of the House of Representatives 
as joint Chairpersons of this Committee. The five (5) other members from each Chamber are 
to be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
respectively. The minority shall be entitled to pro rata representation but shall have at least 
two (2) representatives from each Chamber. 
 
Section 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, 
the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other provisions hereof. 
 
Section 14. Repealing Clause.- All laws, decrees, orders, issuances or portion thereof, 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
Section 15. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two 
(2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,