The National Economic and Development Authority Regional Office No. 02 (NEDA2) conducted one-on-one consultation meetings with key infrastructure agencies from 07-12 February 2024. The main topic of the consultation is the FY 2025 budget proposal preparations.

The activity underscored the policy direction of the present administration on Build-Better-More Program for infrastructure development. It also ensured that the agencies’ proposed budgets are aligned with the regional thrusts and priorities.

During these meetings, the agencies were briefed on the regional priorities and strategies as outlined in the Cagayan Valley Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 as well as the priority programs and projects (PAPs) as enrolled in the Public Investment Program (PIP) 2023-2028, and the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) 2023-2028.

The region’s top 30 PAPs, as approved by the Regional Development Council and confirmed by the concerned Agency Central Offices during the Regional-National Investment Programming Dialogue held in August 2023, were pushed for budget support in 2025.

As a result of the activity, the agencies agreed to give priority to implementation-ready proposals, align with regional priorities, prioritized PAPs per congressional district, ensure inclusion of geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), consider the institutional and absorptive capacity in implementing the PAPs, and ensure enrollment of PAPs to the RDIP and PIP.

This three-day activity was attended by key agencies with infrastructure project proposals namely: DA, NIA, NIA-MARIIS, DOH, DepEd, DOTr, CAAP, PPA, and DPWH. This was the second run of the initiative after the successful outcome from its inception last year. NEDA-PDIPBD