WITH the abolition of the Negros Island Region (NIR), private sector organizations in Negros Occidental elected their representatives to the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Western Visayas in a meeting held Tuesday, September 5, at O Hotel in Bacolod City.
Ma. Lina Sanogal, Negros Occidental Provincial Planning and Development officer, said the elected private sector representatives (PSRs) will attend the third quarter meeting of the RDC-Western Visayas on September 8 at Kalibo, Aklan.
They will be joined by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., League of Municipalities of Philippines-Negros Occidental president Pontevedra Mayor Jose Benito Alonso, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the 12 component city mayors.
The private sector organizations elected four sectoral representatives and one geographic representative.
For sectoral representatives, Frank Carbon, regional governor of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental, was named for the infrastructure development committee; Christina Marie Gaston, president of Association of Negros Producers, for economic development committee; Fr. Dionisio Nacario, director of Diocese of San Carlos Social Action Center, for development administration committee; and Adelaida Rendon, vice president of Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Center, for social development committee.
Elected geographic private sector representative was Edgardo Uychiat, president of Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Foundation Inc.
Uychiat was endorsed by the Negros Occidental Provincial Development Council Executive Committee.
Nacario was also voted as PSR to the Regional Project Monitoring Committee.
For the Regional Land Use Committee, the three nominees from the private sector were Lawrence Ledesma of Katuwang Resource Center, Lisa Paguntalan of Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc., and Rose Depra of Negros Economic Development Foundation Inc.
The RDC, which is responsible for planning the development of the region, is composed of representatives from the local government units, regional line agencies, non-government organizations, and private sector.
Development plan
The Department of the Interior and Local Government in NIR conducted an orientation on the Philippine Development Plan among the provincial officials Tuesday at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City.
This is in relation to the winding up of operations of the regional offices in Negros Island.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations multi-sectoral forum was also held at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City Tuesday.
Among the topics discussed was Ambisyon 2040, which is part of the Philippine Development Plan.
Ambisyon is a 25-year vision for the country that will be an anchor for development planning across administrations.