Stakeholders from both the government and private sectors will gather for the organizational meeting of the Negros Island Region (NIR) Regional Development Council (RDC) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Convened by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the establishment of the region’s highest policy-making body comes after the creation of the NIR, composed of Negros Occidental and highly-urbanized Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, under the Republic Act 12000 signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in June last year.
Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental, Manuel Chaco Sagarbarria of Negros Oriental and Jake Vincent Villa of Siquijor are expected to attend the RDC meeting.
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the election of RDC officials is at the top of the agenda.
Diaz said he does not think Lacson is gunning to be RDC chair since he is already the chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council.
Among the issues expected to be discussed are the economic and health agendas and the set-up of offices, Diaz said.
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya, one of authors of the NIR Act as the city’s former lone district representative, said the establishment of the RDC-NIR will be a momentous and historic occasion.
He, however, ruled himself out in the selection to become the council chair.
“I will support in any way that I can, but my focus is on Bacolod City now,” he said.
According to the DEPDev, the RDC plays a crucial role in regional development planning by coordinating and managing socio-economic advancement efforts.
Its structure and functions aim to foster collaboration and integration among various stakeholders, including local government units, regional line agencies, and the private sector.
In Executive Order No. 82, the importance of strengthening the RDCs is highlighted to foster regional growth.
The key responsibilities of the council include prioritizing and assessing investment programs for funding authorization, promoting private sector involvement in development initiatives, and monitoring and evaluating the implementation of regional plans.
Last month, the DEPDev-NIR conducted a follow-through workshop on the NIR Regional Development Plan formulation, focusing on validating the draft regional vision, enhancing the process of identifying the growth centers, and identifying the strategies, programs, projects and activities and core indicators as well as policies and legislative priorities.
Workshop outputs offered substantial inputs for the region’s development roadmap from the viewpoint of local stakeholders.*PNA