RDC XI HOSTS 9TH NB-RDCom MEETING
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The participants to the 9th NB-RDCom Meeting held on October 14, 2009 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Lanang, Davao City. Seated (from left to right): PSR Richard Albert Osmond, Dr. Arturo Corpuz, Gov. Enrique Garcia, OIC-DDG Marcelina Bacani (presiding officer), Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Mr. Vicente Lao, and NEDA XI RD Maria Lourdes Lim.
The Regional Development Council (RDC) XI hosted the 9th meeting of the NEDA Board-Regional Development Committee (NB-RDCom) at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Lanang, Davao City on October 14, 2009. 01C-Deputy Director General Marcelina E. Bacani of the NEDA’s Regional Development Office presided over the meeting. This was bared by NEDA XI Regional Director and RDC XI Vice-Chairperson Maria Lourdes D. Lim, who also sits in the NB-RDCom Technical Board.
The main agenda of the meeting included a discussion on proposed amendments on Executive Order No. 325, series of 1996, which reorganized the RDC, the procedure in the reclamation projects, and the proposal to lower the cost of power in all energy-producing regions. OIC-DDG Bacani said that among the proposed amendments on EO 325 are the composition and powers/functions of RDC, its sectoral committees, selection and succession of RDC Chair and Co-Chair, entitlements of Private Sector Representatives to RDC, and the Council’s budget.
OIC-DDG Bacani also said that the NB-RDCom affirmed the involvement of RDC in the approval process of reclamation projects because the implementation of a project of this kind by an LGU can affect adjacent LGUs.
Meanwhile, the proposal to lower the cost of power in all energy-producing regions was presented by Gov. Enrique Garcia. The proposal was endorsed by RDC II and subsequently by the Luzon Area Development Coordination Committee (LADCC). The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has commented that host regions and LGUs are entitled to certain benefits provided under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). ERC will reduce the recoverable system loss cap of electric coops from 14% to 13% effective January 2010 and that of private distribution facilities from 9.5% to 8.5%.
During the meeting’s lunch break, a press conference with the local media was held. Among the issues that were raised by the media are the proposed ban on aerial spraying of fungicides on banana plantations, particularly in Mindanao, and disaster risk reduction efforts of the government.
NB-RDCom Mindanao Area Committee and RDC XI Chair Vicente Lao expressed that while the issue has already been elevated to the Supreme Court, it is important for the people to know the effects of aerial spraying of fungicides to overall health of all affected population and not merely a small segment of that population, as well as, the impact of the proposed ban on the local economies that are highly dependent on the banana industry. Mr. Lao said that RDC XI will facilitate this effort and added that the issue may be also discussed by the NB¬-RDCom in one of its future meetings.
On disaster risk reduction (DRR), NB-RDCom Secretary and RDCS Director Susan Rachel G. Jose informed that NEDA will soon launch a program at all regional levels. She stressed that NEDA’s intention to pursue DRR is in line with the principle that development should be a safe development. This is also in recognition that the Philippines is among the most disaster-prone countries in the world. The DRR program at the sub-national level will develop templates of risk reduction methodologies with accompanying technical assistance to LGUs and regions. Director Jose said that the DRR methodologies were developed a year ago and pilot-tested in Region 3 and Caraga Region. The program will be funded by the Australian International Agency for International Development (AusAid) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Aside from OIC-DDG Bacani, Mr. Lao, Director Lim and Director Jose, those who attended the 9th NB-RDCom meeting included the chairpersons of the other NB¬-RDCom Area Committees, namely, Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan for Luzon and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu for Visayas, Regional Development Expert Arturo Corpuz, Privarte Sector Representative Richard Albert Osmond, DBM XI Regional Director Achillles Gerard Bravo who represented Secretary Rolando Andaya, and members of the RDCom Technical Board, namely, NEDA III Regional Director Remegio Mercado and NEDA VII Regional Director Marlene Rodriguez.
Sectoral Committees
- Development Administration Committee
- Economic Development Committee
- Infrastructure Development Committee
- Social Development Committee
- Macroeconomy and Finance Committee
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