Favila confirms plan to place BCDA under DTI

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila confirmed yesterday that President Arroyo has discussed the possibility of placing the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) under the supervision of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In a statement from Hong Kong, Favila confirmed that "the transfer of supervisory power to line departments is part of the ongoing devolution of government agencies and other instrumentalities presently attached to Malacañang."

Favila assured that he would accept any additional functions Malacañang gives him.

However, Favila said that he has not yet received any order from President Arroyo.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Waldo Flores, for his part, only confirmed that Malacañang is "doing a lot of devolution."

He explained that the devolution of agencies attached to the Office of the President is in compliance with commitments made by President Arroyo during her State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year.

Flores admitted, "we’ve started to devolve agencies attached to the Office of the President. I wouldn’t be surprised if it (referring to the BCDA) is one of those."

He added that "in the SONA, the President wanted attached government agencies to be run with less interference from the Office of the President. The idea is with less bureaucracy, processing will be faster."