PRA placed under Office of President
Credit to Author: RALPH VILLANUEVA| Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2019 18:07:43 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has placed the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) under the Office of the President, stripping the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) of its power to approve reclamation projects.
Through Executive Order 74, Duterte repealed EOs 798 and 146 and gave the PRA governing board the authority to approve reclamation projects.
“It is the policy of the State to increase its competitiveness, promote ease of doing business and rationalize and streamline functions of agencies to facilitate efficient delivery of government services,” the order read.
“There is a need to rationalize the approval process for reclamation projects towards an economically and environmentally sustainable resource development,” it added.
The PRA will consult the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on the projects and their compliance with environmental laws, and the Department of Finance on the economic and fiscal viability of projects.
Reclamation projects will undergo competitive public bidding, consistent with the government’s thrust to promote transparency and competitiveness.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the signing of the order did not mean that Duterte was dismayed by NEDA’s performance.
“That is the discretion of the president, he has control over the Executive departments and offices, perhaps, the reason is to streamline the services of agencies, maybe it is more effective,” he said in a press briefing.
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