P-Noy yet to decide on RDC 7 leadership

CEBU, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III is unlikely to announce soon the next chairman and co-chairman of the Regional Development Council in Central Visayas.   Aquino said he al-ready has the list of nominees submitted by the National Economic Development Author-ity (NEDA), but he is yet to go through the list.

He said he has to attend to more important things at the moment, including a focus on the agriculture sector, tourism campaigns, and initiatives to encourage more investors to participate in the Public-Private Partnership Programs.

"The process is NEDA submits the nominees to me. I was given the choice. I haven't seen the NEDA advice because we are taking a serious look at other things," Aquino said yesterday.

There are seven nominees for chairman and co-chairman of RDC-7, which include Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Mayor Michael Rama.

The others who are in the list are Bohol Governor Edgardo Chatto, Negros Orien-tal Governor Agustin Perdices and Siquijor Governor Orlando Fua Jr. and private sector nominees Jose Ng of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Argeo Melisimo, president of the First Consolidated Bank in Bohol.

The RDC traditionally votes for the next chairman and co-chairman, but during its meeting last August 19, majority chose to let the president appoint its next leaders. If the president chooses a government representative for the chairmanship, the co-chairmanship must go to the private sector - and vice versa - as provided in the RDC Manual of Opera-tions. (FREEMAN)