Wednesday, August 08, 2007 Top Zambo Peninsula officials nominated to RDC chair post
THE Regional Development Council (RDC), the highest policy making body in the region, convened Monday afternoon to reorganize its set of officials for the next three years, coinciding with the term of office of the present local chief executives.
Zamboanga Mayor Celso Lobregat, Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co and Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes were nominated to position of RDC chair.
Their names will be submitted to President Gloria Arroyo for her to select and appoint the RDC chair from among the three names submitted.
Yebes is the incumbent RDC chair per appointment by President Arroyo in 2004.
Controversy marred the appointment then, as Yebes was selected instead of Lobregat who got the highest number of votes during an election conducted by the RDC at that time.
Under the rules, the President shall select and appoint the RDC chair and co-chair from at least two local chief executives who are ex-officio members and two private sector representatives nominated by the Council.
Last Monday, the RDC-Western Mindanao decided to revise the rule and nominated three names and did away with the election. The names of Lobregat, Co and Yebes will be submitted in alphabetical order.
For the position of co-chair, the Council nominated three names: Atty. Arsenio Gonzales (Zamboanga City-business sector), Virgilio Ordonez (Zamboanga del Sur-business sector) and Jose Suan (Zamboanga City-labor sector).
In a secret balloting, Gonzales and Ordonez got the first two highest votes, thus, the submission of their names to Malacanang for selection and appointment.
The terms of office of the chair, co-chair and private sector representatives coincide with the regular term of local elective officials which is fixed period of three years. This prescribed term of office is without prejudice to reappointment.
The RDC is the counterpart of the Neda Board at the sub-national level. It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region.
Likewise, the Council serves as a forum where local efforts can be related and integrated with national development activities.
Prior to the reorganization Monday, Yebes reported his accomplishments the past three years.
New members who are private sector representatives took their oath of office before Yebes also during the meeting, held at the Astoria Hotel Monday afternoon.
The reorganization of the RDC was supervised by the Neda regional office led by Director Rafael Evangelista.
Present during the meeting were all local chief executives of the different provinces and cities under Region 9, regional directors from the different government agencies and the private sector representatives. (Sheila Covarrubias)
