The Regional Development Council (RDC) VI convened on August 23, 2019 at the RDC Conference Hall, NEDA Building, Iloilo City to elect nominees for its Chairperson and Co-Chairperson for the period 2019-2022 or a three (3) year term of office.

NEDA RD Ro-Ann A. Bacal, CESO III who, by virtue of EO 325, is Acting Chairperson presided the meeting to proceed in reorganizing the Council that included, the confirmation of newly-elected sectoral private sector representatives and the election of Chair and Co-Chairpersons of its various sector committees on development administration, economic development, social development, and infrastructure development.

The election was supervised by the ad hoc Election Committee earlier created by the RDC-VI which provided for the rules of elections as contained in the RDC-VI Manual of Operations. Members of this committee included the previous chairpersons of the sector committees of the Council.

The RDC-VI has a distinct practice where, for government nominees for Chair/Co-Chairperson, only public sector members cast their votes, while only private sector members cast their votes for private sector nominees. The reason for this is that the PSRs constitute only 25% of total Council membership. If election is done by all members, the effect is that the public sector’s voice will always prevail. Ultimately, anyway, it is the President of the country that appoints the Chair/Co-Chairperson of the RDC.

The results of the elections include the following nominees: for the government sector, Governor Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. of the Province of Iloilo and Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao of the Province of Antique; for the private sector, Ms. Maria Luisa Segovia of the Iloilo Business Club and Ms. Donna Rose Ratilla of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Region VI.
The NEDA Regional Director will be submitting the names of the nominees to the Office of the President through the Socio-Economic Planning Secretary for decision as to appointment. The executive order provides that should the RDC VI Chairperson appointed comes from the government sector, the Co-Chairperson should be from the private sector or vice-versa.
The election of the different sectoral committee Chairpersons and Co-Chairpersons triggers the start of deliberations of agenda items to be elevated to the Council Proper. (RDC/NEDA)