President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 115, strengthening the institutional capacity of the Technical Cooperation Council of the Philippines (TCCP) to ensure the effective implementation of technical cooperation programs aligned with national priorities. 

Under EO 115, the TCCP will roll out a national strategic framework called “Development Philippines”—a program designed to deliver technical assistance to developing countries while advancing the nation’s own development goals and strategic interests. 

The Council is tasked to: 

– Coordinate all technical cooperation projects and activities of government agencies. 

– Provide policy direction for the Philippine Technical Cooperation Program. 

– Align technical cooperation initiatives with national development priorities and foreign policy objectives. 

Reorganization of the TCCP 

– Chairperson: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 

– Vice Chairperson: Department of Economy, Planning, and Development 

– Members: Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, Department of Migrant Workers, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). 

The Council may also engage other government agencies, instrumentalities, and private sector entities as needed. The DFA Chairperson is authorized to designate additional members, while agencies may appoint alternates with ranks not lower than Assistant Secretary. 

A TWG, chaired by the DFA, has been constituted to provide technical and policy support. It is composed of Director-level representatives from member agencies who will serve as focal persons for technical cooperation. The TWG is mandated to: 

– Formulate the Philippine Technical Cooperation Roadmap and Program for endorsement to the TCCP. 

– Monitor and review implementation of technical cooperation initiatives. 

The TCCP Secretariat will be fully integrated into the DFA, operating under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. A senior official may be designated to manage the Secretariat and serve as Chair-Alternate. 

Initial implementation of EO 115 will be charged to current appropriations of the DFA and other concerned agencies, with additional sources identified by the Department of Budget and Management. Future funding will be included in the DFA’s annual budget proposals, subject to the usual preparation process. 

EO 115, signed by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on April 29, 2026, takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.