The month-long provincial and city information caravan on the functions and mandates of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Regional Development Council (RDC) concluded with the briefing for newly elected officials in the 4th and 5th congressional districts of Iloilo held in Passi City Hall, Passi City, Iloilo on August 3, 2016.
NEDA Regional Office VI, headed by RD Ro-Ann A. Bacal, CESO III, initiated the said briefing for mayors and vice mayors of 19 local government units, two congressional units and two state colleges in Iloilo province, along with the key executive and legislative officials in Passi City led by Mayor Jesry T. Palmares.
Director Bacal presented the organizational set-up of the NEDA Board, the NEDA Secretariat, and the RDC and their relationship with the local development councils while the four regional technical coordinators of NEDA and RDC identified their division functions and support services for LGUs.
The discussions included the presentation of Ms. Ma. Lourdes B. Miado on development planning, the functions of the Regional Land Use Committee and the Development Administration Committee; Engr. Gilberto A. Altura on investment programming, budgeting, and project formulation as well as the functions of the Regional Competitiveness Committee, the Regional Investment Promotion Committee, and the Economic Development Committee; Ms. Erlinda B. Chiu on monitoring and evaluation and the functions of the Regional Project Monitoring Committee and the Infrastructure Development Committee, including updates on the Yolanda projects; and Ms. Yvette G. Batacandolo on development research as well as the functions of the Regional Gender and Development Committee, Regional Statistical Committee, the Sub-Committee on International Migration and the Social Development Committee.
Assistant Regional Director Raul S. Anlocotan moderated the open forum which generated queries about priority projects in the two congressional districts, NEDA’s role in providing assistance to local government units, and initiatives to bolster the tourism industry in central and northern Iloilo.
The said activity is the eighth briefing conducted by NEDA-VI which kicked off on July 12 for the local chief executives and legislators in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd congressional districts of Iloilo. The briefings for the Province of Capiz and the City of Roxas were held on July 19 and 20, respectively. These were followed by the briefing for Iloilo City on July 21. The Province of Antique had its briefing on July 26 while the Province of Aklan had the same on July 28. The briefing for the Province of Guimaras was conducted on August 2. (rgc/NEDA).
