The ceremony took place in the midst of the ongoing cabinet refresh.
On Thursday, May 22, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. presented the newly-enacted laws concerning two agencies in the government during a ceremony at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang.
One of the laws is Republic Act (RA) No. 12145, also known as the ‘Economy, Planning, and Development Act’, signed on 10 April 2025.
This new law formally establishes the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) as the government’s primary agency for economic policy and development planning, effectively upgrading the status of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
The DEPDev is mandated, through its expanded authority, to have its fiscal and organizational capacity, and institutional independence to lead the formulation, coordination, and monitoring of national economic and development policies.
That was soon followed by the PHIVOLCS Modernization Act, signed into law last April 24, as RA No. 12180.
This seeks to modernize the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), and strengthen its capacity to monitor and respond to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
It will be done though the provision of advanced equipment, highly trained personnel and expanded seismic stations, particularly in high-risk areas.
Additionally, RA 12180 also requires the PHIVOLCS Executive Director to develop and implement a modernization program aligned with national policy goals.
An allocation of Php 1.25 billion has been allotted PHIVOLCS Modernization Fund in its first four years, with Php 2 billion in the fifth year of the program.
The ceremony happens on the same day that President Marcos, Jr. ordered his entire cabinet to tender their courtesy resignations, in light of the “weakened mandate” that he received following the 2025 midterm polls.