Vol. XXII, No. 176 [ BusinessWorld Online ]
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
ILOILO CITY — The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Western Visayas has endorsed seven major infrastructure projects worth more P13.4 billion.
Presidential assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias said the projects will be endorsed to the Investment Coordinating Council (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for funding approval.
"The ICC will have the final say whether the proposed projects will be lined up for funding. It will look for multilateral funding to bankroll the projects," Mr. Banias said.
Antique Governor and RDC chairman Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez said they endorsed the following proposed projects during the council meeting in Bacolod City last Sunday:
* Panay River Flood Control Project — P4.5 billion;
* Timbaban Hydro Electric Power — P2.1 billion;
* Panay East-West Link Road — P2 billion;
* Iloilo-Roxas Road — P243 million;
* Caticlan Airport Development — P2 billion;
* Southern Panay Backbone Transmission Project — P2.1 billion; and
* Panay-Negros Interconnection Upgrading Project — P421 million.
RDC, which is the highest policy-making body in the region, serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the regional level.
It coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region.
Western Visayas is composed of the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Aside from reviewing proposed infrastructure projects, the RDC also helps its members draft their respective Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans.
Ms. Perez said drafting of the development plans is consistent with the joint memorandum signed in 2007 by four oversight agencies, namely: NEDA, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Finance.
The memorandum harmonizes local planning, investment programming, revenue administration, budgeting and expenditure management.
"We hope that these efforts will finally rationalize planning at the local level," Ms. Perez said.
The RDC will also try to stimulate the tourism sector in Western Visayas which suffered last year.
Tourist arrivals dropped by 14.8% last year from 2007. The decline was attributed to the 26.4% decrease in domestic tourist arrivals despite the 3.5% increase in foreign tourist arrivals.
Ms. Perez said the RDC will push more projects for approval by the ICC and the NEDA Board and propose more trainings on project proposal preparation for local government units, state universities and colleges, and even nongovernment organizations.
The council will also support measures to address the effects of climate change, promote development of renewable energy sources, and will push for a water summit this year. — Francis Allan L. Angelo
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