Municipal Development Council

Mandate

Republic Act No 7160, Local Government Code of 1991, Title VI: Each local government unit shall have a comprehensive multi-sectoral development plan to be initiated by its Development Council and approved by its Sanggunian. For this purpose, the development council at the provincial, city, municipal, or barangay level, shall assist the corresponding Sanggunian in setting the direction of economic and social development, and coordinating development efforts within its territorial jurisdiction.

Members

The Municipal Development Council shall be headed by the Mayor and shall be composed of the following members:

1. All punong barangays in the city or municipality;
2. The chairman of the committee on appropriations of the Sangguniang bayan concerned;
3. The congressman or his representative; and
4. Representatives of non-governmental organizations operating in the city or municipality, as the case may be, who shall constitute not less than one-fourth (¼) of the members of the fully organized council.

Functions

The Municipal Development shall have the following functions:
1. Formulate long-term, medium-term, and annual socio-economic development plans and policies;
2. Formulate the medium-term and annual public investment programs;
3. Appraise and prioritize socio-economic development programs and projects;
4. Formulate local investment incentives to promote the inflow and direction of private investment capital;
5. Coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of development programs and projects; and
6. Perform such other functions as may be provided by law or component authority.

Meetings and Quorum

The local development council shall meet at least once every six (6) months or as often as may be necessary.

Executive Committee

Each local development council shall create an executive committee to represent it and act on its behalf when it is not in session. The Executive Committee of the Municipal Development Council shall be composed of the Mayor as Chairman, the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the Sangguniang Bayan, the president of the Municipal League of Barangays, and a Representative of nongovernmental organizations that are represented in the council, as member. The executive committee shall exercise the following powers and functions:

1. Ensure that the decision of the council are faithfully carried out and implemented;
2. Act on matters requiring immediate attention or action by the council;
3. Formulate policies, plans, and programs based on the general principles laid down by the council; and
4. Act on other matters that may be authorized by the council.

Sectoral or Functional Committees

The local development council may form sectoral or functional committees to assist them in the performance of their functions.

Secretariat

Thereby constituted for each municipal development council a secretariat which shall be responsible for providing technical support, documentation of proceedings, preparation of reports and such other assistance as may be required in the discharge of its functions. The local development council may avail of the services of any nongovernmental organization or educational or research institution for this purpose. The Secretariat of the Municipal Development Councils shall be headed by their respective Planning and Development Coordinator.

Relation of Municipal Development Councils to the Sanggunian and the Regional Development Council

The policies, programs, and projects proposed by Municipal Development Council shall be submitted to the Sanggunian concerned for appropriate action. The local development plans approved by their respective Sanggunian may be integrated with the development plans of the next higher level of municipal development council.

Budget Information

The Department of Budget and Management shall furnish the various local development councils information on financial resources and budgetary allocations applicable to their respective jurisdictions to guide them in their planning functions.