RDC-7 approves new composition of its 4 committees for 2013-2016

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Development Council (RDC)-7 recently approved the composition of its four sectoral committees for the period 2014 to 2016 following a re-organization last Sept. 26.

The RDC-7 was reorganized pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 325, which sets that the chairperson, co-chairperson and private sector representatives (PSRs) serve for three years to coincide with the regular terms of office of local elective officials.

Following the change, four sectoral committees were created and they conducted meetings last November to reconstitute themselves in accordance with the EO.

The committees are the Development Administration Committee (DAC), Economic Development Committee (EDC), Social Development Committee (SDC), and the Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC).

Each committee is headed by a private sector representative (PSR) while the co-chairperson is a national government agency regional office representative.

The DAC is now led by Cebu PSR Abundio Gultiano Jr. while the co-chairperson is from the Department of Interior and Local Government-7.

The EDC is helmed by Cebu PSR Robert Go with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 representative as co-chairperson.

The SDC is headed by Bohol PSR Panfilo Asares, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 representative as co-chairperson, while the IDC has Cebu PSR Emmanuel Rabacal and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 representative in the same roles. 

The National Economic Development Authority-7 representative is the vice-chairperson of all the sectoral committees.

Other national government agencies regional offices representatives and PSRs from the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor serve as members of the different committees.

The Secretariat is still awaiting the choice of President Benigno Aquino III as RDC-7’s chairperson, who must be a local government chief executive, and the PSR co-chairperson.

Among the RDC’s functions is the coordination of preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of short and long-term regional development plans and investment programs, regional physical framework plans, and special development plans, and formulation of policy recommendations.

It should also review, prioritize and endorse to the national government annual and multi-year sectoral investment programs of the region for funding and implementation. (FREEMAN)