RDC pursues five-year plan

THE Regional Development Council (RDC) of Western Visayas is pursuing a five-year development plan from 2011 to 2016 and had placed nine development goals and targets for the region.

Regional Director Ro-Ann Bacal of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the targets aim to reduce poverty incidence from 23.8 percent to 18 percent.

As the fourth largest regional economies and fastest growing region in the country, Western Visayas has a 6.2 gross regional domestic product percent growth rate that needs an increase in agricultural productivity, new investments, tourist arrivals, and public-private partnership partnerships.

The region will have to take care its health and social services by reducing maternal mortality rate from 162 per 100,000 live births in 2006 to 50 in 2016; infant mortality from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2008 to 18 in 2016; and under five mortality rate from 43 per 1,000 live births in 2008 to 25 per 1,000 live births in 2016.

Bacal said the development plan includes strategies to face these RDC goals in five years. These development strategies include macroeconomy and poverty alleviation, competitive industry and services sector, competitive and sustainable agriculture and fisheries, tourism development, infrastructure support, human resources, research and development, bio-fuels and renewable energy development, good governance and the rule of law, peace and security and environment and natr5ual resources.

The RDC-Western Visayas is chaired by Capiz Governor Victor Tanco Sr., co-chaired by Ma. Luisa Segovia representing the private sector, vice chair Neda Regional Director Ro-Ann Bacal, and secretary Neda ARD Raul Anlocotan.

Regular members are all provincial governors in the region, all 16 city mayors, mayors of municipalities designated as provincial capitals, 6 presidents of provincial and municipal leagues, regional directors of 22 government agencies, and 18 private sector representatives.