Pam elected chair of Visayas Regional development committee

CEBU, Philippines — Neophyte Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has been elected chairperson of the Regional Development Committee–Visayas Area Committee (RD Com–VAC), following a consensus among Visayas governors during the committee’s reorganizational meeting on Monday, Jan. 26, in Cebu City.

Baricuatro’s election was unanimously agreed upon by the four governors representing the Visayas regions during the meeting organized by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) and held at a hotel in the city.

As RD Com–VAC chairperson, Baricuatro will serve as the key link between the Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in the Visayas and the national government, ensuring that shared priorities across the island group are elevated for policy support and funding.

Also elected as co-chairpersons were Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores, chair of RDC Region 6; Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria, chair of the RDC–Negros Island Region; and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, chair of RDC Region 8.

Baricuatro currently serves as chairperson of the Regional Development Council in Central Visayas, or RDC Region 7.

In a statement posted on the Cebu Province official Facebook page, Baricuatro stressed the importance of unity among the Visayas regions in advancing development that benefits communities beyond provincial and regional boundaries.

“We have faced both challenges and opportunities as individual regions, but the call and commitment for a collective Visayas-wide voice, action, and solidarity remain crucial in ensuring that development gains are felt across our regions and communities,” Baricuatro said.

She said Visayas leaders share a common vision anchored on resilience, transformation and inclusive progress, particularly amid evolving economic and social demands.

Baricuatro succeeds former Bacolod City mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez as chairperson of the RD Com–VAC and will serve a two-year term from 2026 to 2028.

In her new role, she will represent the Visayas bloc in engagements with the Economic and Development Council and other national government agencies, advocating for cross-regional priorities. These include infrastructure development, investment promotion, tourism, and sustainable growth initiatives that span provincial and regional borders.

Baricuatro’s expanded Visayas-wide role builds on her earlier appointment as chairperson of the RDC-7.

In October 2025, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed Baricuatro to head RDC Region 7, selecting her over other nominees, including Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado. Her appointment was confirmed through a letter from the Office of the President signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin and addressed to DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.

Since assuming leadership of RDC Region 7, Baricuatro has pushed for the inclusion of priority programs in national investment planning, with Central Visayas proposing 30 major programs worth nearly P1.8 trillion for the 2026–2027 Regional and National Investment Programming cycle. These proposals prioritize agriculture, environment, infrastructure, social services and feasibility studies.  — (FREEMAN)