THE National Economic and Development Authority Regional (Neda) in Western Visayas is preparing for the crafting of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (RRP) for the region.
Neda-Western Visayas director Ro-Ann Bacal recently held a video conference with 67 participants including regional directors, assistant directors and representatives of various regional line agencies, provincial and city planning and development coordinators of the local government units (LGUs), and presidents and key officials of state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Bacal, during the conference, discussed the report of the Inter-Agency Task Force - Technical Working Group (IATF-TWG) on Anticipatory and Forward Planning and the guidelines on the preparation of RRP for Western Visayas.
Bacal also discussed the rehabilitation and recovery framework that will serve as overall guide in the formulation of inputs from various agencies, SUCs, government-owned and controlled corporations, and government financial institutions.
Utilizing the "We Recover As One" technical paper and general expectation of the "new normal", the regional line agencies, LGUs and SUCs were requested to identify critical issues, challenges and concerns faced by their respective sectors during the time of pandemic.
They were also asked to review and redesign programs, projects and activities (PPAs) to strengthen the region's resilience in future emergencies such as the Covid-19 crisis.
Neda-Western Visayas said estimated budgetary requirements for the implementation of priority PPAs will be incorporated covering the period of second semester of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The Calendar Year 2021 slice will be included in the agency budget proposals for General Appropriations Act funding, it said.
The LGUs will come up with their respective provincial, city, and municipal RRP and will cover interventions to be funded by their own revenues, internal revenue allotments, and other sources.
The consolidation of the draft RRP for Western Visayas, presentation among the Regional Development Council sector committees, and submission to Neda Regional Development Group is scheduled on May 15. (With reports from Neda-Western Visayas)
