TACLOBAN City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez preside in a 1st quarter Full Council Meeting of the Regional Development Council 8 flanked by (R) NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy and Leyte 1st District Representative Yedda K. Romualdez. The Council on Wednesday, March 22, a multi-billion budget for schools and regional offices. (Photo by Tim Canes)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) 8 in its first quarter full council Meeting on Wednesday, March 22 presided by Tacloban City Mayor Cristina G, Romualdez approved 184 Billion peso worth of budget for 2018 of Regional Agencies and State-run schools.

More than 57 percent of the budget is earmarked for social development programs that includes education and health concerns.

Mayor Romualdez was joined by Leyte 1st District Representative Yedda Romualdez Samar Provincial Governor, Catbalogan City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan, Maasin Congressman Roger Mercado directors and representatives of regional line agencies, local government units, private sector representatives, and state universities and colleges.

Highlights of the meeting included the presentation of Presidential Management Staff Undersecretary Ferdinand Cui, Jr. on “The Philippine Development Context and the President’s Governance Agenda: Towards Responsive Results Delivery for Juana and Juan de la Cruz.”

Among the priority infrastructure projects endorsed by the council to the National Government  was the Luzon-Samar Link Bridge, Leyte-Surigao Link Bridge and Bohol-Link Bridge Projects and the completion and rehabilitation of regional Airports

The council also approved a request to the PMS for the expeditious release of financial assistance for government employees affected by Typhoon Yolanda; and a request to the National Bureau of Investigation Central office to provide additional funding for NBI VIII so it could conduct the stalled DNA Testing.

Romualdez underscored cooperation among member Local Government Units and Agencies in working for regional development.

She said, “…its challenging and encouraging… maraming naririnig na solutions.. (but)  we (have to) work as a whole and as a region.”

 The RDC Chairperson also said the thrust  of her term is to promote more programs that would create more jobs and enc industries and investors to come in.  She said that the  generation of more jobs can be had through improved tourism facilities and better infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Cui said development will only happen if  local government units combat and suppress criminality and corruption, and  should spread out to the rural areas and not just concentrate in urban centers.

 A  recognition of RDC members and the search for Outstanding Volunteer Awardees also highlighted the meeting. -HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO