RDC Eastern Visayas still awaits appointment of new chair

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 21 (PNA) -– The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) is still waiting for the appointment of its new chairman that will lead the region’s highest policy-making body for the term 2016 to 2019.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director and acting RDC Chairman Bonifacio Uy said it’s their “Christmas wish” that RDC chair appointment will be out before the end of 2016.

“We have been looking forward for that. We are trying to convince the Office of the President to issue the appointment of our new RDC chair,” Uy said.

The NEDA regional chief reported that of the 18 RDCs in the country, only two have newly-appointed chairpersons under the new administration. They are Palawan Govenor Jose Alvarez for Region 4-B and Bukidnon Govenor Jose Maria Zuburi, Jr. for Region 10.

On Aug. 31, the council nominated Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla; Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos; Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez; Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez; RDC private sector representatives Roy Bernard Fiel, Oliver Cam, and Tiburcio Morales.

Among the nominated local chief executives, only Gomez and Petilla were present during the RDC’s 4th quarter meeting on Tuesday. Petilla served as RDC chair from 2013 to mid-2016 while Gomez, a neophyte politician, is an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under Executive Order No. 325, qualified to head the RDC as chair and co-chair are the provincial governors, mayors of capital towns and cities, presidents of league of municipalities in six provinces, and private sector representatives.

President Duterte will select among the seven nominees who will be the chair and co-chair.

Under existing rules, if a local chief executive is chosen as chair, the co-chair will be from the private sector. If an official from the non-government group will be selected as chair, the co-chair is a local chief executive.

The RDC serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the subnational level. The RDC is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region. It also serves as a forum where local efforts can be related and integrated with national development activities. (PNA)
LAP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO