Key infrastructure agencies in the region participated in the first NEDA 2 budget dialogue. The activity served as an avenue in ensuring the agencies’ proposed budgets and infrastructure projects are consistent with the region’s investment program and the regional development plan for the fiscal year 2024 and beyond.

The event also served as a prelude to the budget hearings and consultations of the Regional Development Council’s – Regional Budget Review Committee to comply with the Department of Budget and Management’s national and corporate budget memoranda.

NEDA 2 Regional Director (RD) Dionisio C. Ledres, Jr. and Assistant RD Ferdinand P. Tumaliuan stressed the importance of prioritizing project proposals that are region-specific and ensure that these projects will contribute to the attainment of the sector outcomes as targeted in the Cagayan Valley Regional Development Plan (CVRDP). Moreover, they enjoined the agencies to incorporate their strategies into the plan to guarantee that regional inclusive growth and development will be attained through their respective agency mandates and commitments.

As a result of the activity, the agencies will prioritize implementation-ready proposals under Tier 2, ensure conduct of stakeholder consultations, and provide location maps for visual appreciation of project proposals during the presentation of their FY 2024 budget to the RBRC review panel. They will also update their enrolled projects in the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) 2023-2028 and Cagayan Valley RDP to include only region-specific priority programs, projects, and strategies, and to collaborate with the other agencies for possible convergence programs.

The NEDA 2 budget dialogue was a three-day activity from February 01-03, 2023 with the key infrastructure agencies namely: DA, DOH, NIA, NIA-MARIIS, CAAP, PPA, DepEd, and DPWH.# Mariel Calimag/ NEDA2-PDIPBD