Tacloban mayor sets priorities as new Eastern Visayas RDC chair

TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 16 (PNA) –- Mayor Cristina Gonzalez-Romualdez on Thursday vowed to bring economic development to poor provinces in Eastern Visayas as the newly-appointed chairperson of the Regional Development Council.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with key officials of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Romualdez outlined her priorities for regional development – tourism, rural infrastructure, and job generation.

“I am surprised with the appointment and happy maybe because Tacloban is an economic hub, being the only highly-urbanized city in the region. We play a vital role for the development of the region. Everything that happens in Tacloban affects other provinces,” Romualdez said.

The first termer mayor thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for the trust given to her to lead the RDC, region’s highest policy-making body.

In the past 16 years, the council has been led by local chief executives from Southern Leyte, Leyte, and Samar provinces. 

It was in 1998 to 2001 when the city actively took part in the RDC when then Mayor Bejo Romualdez chaired the body. Bejo, the younger brother of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, is the father of former Tacloban Mayor Alfred, Cristina’s husband.

“Tacloban is interconnected to other provinces. We’re lucky to be progressive and we want to bring this development to Samar provinces,” said Romualdez, a former actress and city councilor for nine years.

The appointment, according to NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy is timely, considering the finalization of 2017-2022 Regional Development Plan and preparations of 2018 budget proposals.

Romualdez will preside this year’s first quarterly meeting on March 22 at the NEDA regional office.

Aside from presiding over the Council’s meetings, her other functions are to direct members and heads of regional line agencies to perform tasks the Council may deem necessary, direct the formulation of a comprehensive regional development plan and preparation of a system of investment programming for the region.

She is also expected to supervise the monitoring of the implementation of major inter-provincial and region-wide development programs, and represent the region in Cabinet meetings and other activities at the national level.

The RDC serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the sub-national level. It 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.

The Eastern Visayas RDC is composed of six provincial governors, seven city mayors, two capital town mayors, 24 regional lines agencies, and 15 private sector representatives, who represent 25 percent of the total members of the body. (PNA)
LAP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO