Leyte gov welcomes appointment of Tacloban mayor as new RDC chair

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 16 (PNA) -- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla welcomes the appointment of Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez as the new chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC).

Petilla, who led the RDC from 2013 to 2016, said the city mayor shares his vision on developing Eastern Visayas into a progressive region.

The two officials, together with Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos, and two private sector representatives were the nominees for RDC chairmanship.

Petilla hopes for the new RDC chair to push for the Samar mini-martial development plan that seeks to curb poverty in the country’s third largest Island.

Romualdez, in an interview, said that the development of three Samar provinces is one of the priorities in her term as RDC head.

“As far as we know that is one of the main problems and Leyte, including Tacloban is always dragged down in every survey because of Samar situation. We need to focus on Samar Island and help them,” she said.

The mayor has expressed willingness to visit every province in the region to personally check and see first hand the situation of local government units.

Romualdez is the second member of the influential political clan to chair the RDC. The first was her father-in-law, then City Mayor Bejo Romualdez from 1998 to 2001.

She is the third female to lead the Council following then Leyte Governor Remedios Petilla from 2001 to 2004 and then Southern Leyte Governor Rosette Lerias from 2004 to 2007.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the appointment on February 9. The mayor will serve as RDC chairperson for three years. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA