No fireworks between Gwen and Tom in RDC

TAGBILARAN CITY , Philippines  — The Regional Development Council of Central Visayas held its last full council in the Province of Bohol yesterday.

The council approved several measures, including the much-debated 2010-2016 Food Security Plan for the region.

Several had anticipated fireworks in the meeting as RDC chairperson Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña were together in the meeting.

The anticipated heated debate from the two prominent figures of Cebu politics did not materialize.

Instead there was a long debate on the food security plan before it got the nod of the body.

The proposal on food security had to go through some deliberation after Dumaguete City Mayor Agustin Perdices raised the question on how to reconcile the conversion of agricultural lands to commercial use.

Caberte noted that the rate of conversion of agricultural lands in the region is “increasing” thus, she said, “we should go slow” in allowing such.

After a lengthy debate, Garcia called for a vote to decide on the matter.

The bone of contention was Perdices’ dislike of the use of the word conversion, which was later changed to reclassification with regards to the land use.

On the same vein, the council also unanimously approved the resolution urging Congress to investigate “in aid of legislation” the Commission on Audit regarding the pre-audit of government projects as proposed by Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado.

The said resolution was originally raised by Aumentado that urged Congress “to abolish” the COA policy on pre-audit scheme. But he changed his mind after consultation with his colleagues in the council.

Aumentado, who was elected to his old post as congressman in 2nd district, pointed out that COA’s pre-audit system caused much delay on the project implementation.

He also argued that such pre-audit system is violation of anti red tape law and the citizen’s charter to fast track the public services.

Meanwhile, the council awarded the late Negros Oriental Gov. Emilio Macias with a posthumous certificate for his active participation and contribution to the RDC in the last three years.

Perdices received the certificate on behalf of Macias.

Others present in the meeting were RDC co-chair Norris Oculam, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Rep. George Arnaiz of Negros Oriental and government directors of different agencies and other representatives.

In what she described as her “final opening remarks,” Garcia expressed her gratitude to all those who made her stewardship in RDC garnered the tangible and intangible achievements.

She said that she kept her promise to make the region as “the rising star,” putting impression that “hordes and hordes of tourists from all over the country and the world” come to Bohol.

One concrete achievement is the launching for the first time the recent Climate Change Summit in Cebu to address the brewing phenomenon even as she also cited the unity and collaboration among the council members “to w ork together to shape our future.” (FREEMAN NEWS)