The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomes the issuance of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2026, by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), NOCCI president Edward Du said Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The circular, titled “Procedural Guidelines on Strengthening Participatory Governance and Regional Development Council Engagement in the Early Preparation of Agency Budget Proposals for FY 2028,” was issued on Oct. 8, 2026,A NOCCI press release said.
The new guidelines seek to strengthen the role of Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in the early preparation of national government agencies’ budget proposals, beginning with Fiscal Year 2028, it said.
The policy provides an opportunity for regional priorities and stakeholder recommendations to be considered before national agency budget proposals are finalized. Under the circular, agencies are required to account for how regional recommendations were considered, including the reasons projects were incorporated, modified, deferred, or not prioritized, NOCCI said.
NOCCI described the reform as a significant step toward making national budgeting more responsive to the actual needs, development opportunities, and economic realities of regions and local communities, emphasizing that regional priorities must be heard and considered before budget decisions are finalized.
MEANINGFUL PRIVATE-SECTOR ENGAGEMENT
As a representative of the business community, NOCCI emphasized that participatory governance must extend beyond government-to-government consultations. The organization urged national government agencies and their regional offices to institutionalize early, transparent, and substantive consultations with the private sector through the RDC process.
According to NOCCI, national agencies should actively consult and engage in dialogue with private-sector organizations, business chambers, industry associations, MSMEs, cooperatives, academe, civil society organizations, and local government units.
The Chamber noted that the private sector brings practical knowledge regarding challenges confronting enterprises, investors, workers, farmers, fisherfolk, and other economic stakeholders. Its participation, NOCCI stated, can help identify infrastructure gaps, regulatory bottlenecks, investment opportunities, and essential interventions needed to stimulate economic activity, generate employment, improve productivity, and strengthen regional competitiveness.
Consultations should provide stakeholders sufficient opportunity to submit evidence-based proposals and explain the economic and social benefits of recommended programs and projects, NOCCI added.
REGIONAL PRIORITIES
For Negros Oriental and the Negros Island Region (NIR), NOCCI noted that the guidelines create an opportunity to advance priority projects and programs capable of accelerating regional economic growth and improving public service delivery, such as:.
- Key investment areas highlighted include:
- Strategic transport and logistics infrastructure
- Reliable and affordable electricity
- Agricultural modernization
- Support for MSMEs and tourism development
- Digital connectivity and workforce development
- Renewable energy and disaster resilience
NOCCI called on the RDC-NIR, national government agencies, regional line offices, and local government units to work closely with the private sector to identify and prepare well-developed, economically justified, and implementation-ready proposals for regional investment programs and national budget submissions.
Simultaneously, the Chamber encouraged business organizations to proactively present concrete proposals supported by relevant data, feasibility assessments, employment-generation potential, investment prospects, and measurable development outcomes.
TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY
Highlighting that the policy’s effectiveness relies on implementation, NOCCI stressed that consultation must result in a demonstrable process where regional and private-sector recommendations receive serious consideration.
The Chamber stated that national agencies should clearly communicate the status and disposition of submitted proposals, explain decision rationale, and provide appropriate feedback to participating stakeholders to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust.
NOCCI underscored the importance of aligning regional proposals with the Regional Development Plan, national development objectives, and fiscal priorities to ensure projects are technically sound, financially viable, and capable of delivering measurable results.
GOVERNMENT-BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
NOCCI said that sustainable regional development requires a genuine partnership among government, the private sector, and communities. The Chamber noted that the DBM-DEPDev guidelines offer a mechanism to strengthen that partnership by incorporating regional knowledge and stakeholder participation into the budget process at an earlier stage.
Calling on all concerned agencies and stakeholders to fully utilize the reform, NOCCI urged that the FY 2028 budget preparation process serve as a practical exercise in participatory governance rather than a procedural requirement.
The Chamber concluded that the ultimate measure of the reform lies in whether regional priorities are translated into funded programs, implemented projects, improved public services, stronger enterprises, and expanded economic opportunities for the people of Negros Oriental and the entire Negros Island Region.*
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