The business sector believes that NEDA and Medco have their own distinct and separate mandate and the order will cause the council to lose the essence of its special and definite developmental purpose and functions for Mindanao.

Medco was created by virtue of ECO 512 dated March 19, 1992 aimed at coordinating the active and extensive participation of all sectors to effect the socio-economic development of Mindanao.

The chamber statement said that placing the council under the supervision of NEDA will impinge on the role that Medco had, since its inception, been mandated to do as stated in Section 1 of the EO 757 “NEDA shall provide general supervision to Medco in the formulation of continuing and integrated socio-economic development plans, policies and programs, and in the exercise and implementation of its regular functions provided under EO 512 of 1992, as amended by EO No. 244 of 2000.”

“The integration of Medco to NEDA is a great loss of momentum following the initiative that was started in the development and strengthening of BIMP EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area),” Davao Chamber President Simeon Marfori II said.

Medco is the prime agency tasked to coordinate and oversee the implementation of development programs for Mindanao, including the peace process building. Such task requires consultation from the grass roots level community and consultation with the Mindanao stakeholders, the statement added.

Though the chamber believes in the capabilities and work ethics of NEDA Director General Ralph Recto, it has “serious qualms” about NEDA regional offices’ capability to work for Mindanao which Medco has been carrying out “with the least supervision from national agencies.”

The functions of Medco should not be clipped in its wings by placing it under an agency which has yet to prove its relevance in the development of Mindanao, the statement said.