RDC8 meets August 23 to select chair and co-chair nominees

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
August 4, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The members of the Regional Development Council for Eastern Visayas will meet on August 23, 2007 in order to tackle among other things, the selection of the nominees for the chairpersonship and co-chairpersonship of the Council.

NEDA 8 Director Buenaventura Go-soco, Jr. informed that the RDC meeting will be held at the NEDA Regional Office at the Government Center, Palo, Leyte.

Director Go-soco said that a briefing on the RDG will be conducted for the new regular Council members at 10:00 o’clock in the morning to 12:00 o’clock noon. This will be followed by the regular RDC meeting at 1:30 in the afternoon.

The highlights of the RDG meeting, Director Go-soco who is the RDG Vice Chairman, intimated, would be the confirmation of the new set of Private Sector Representatives (PSRs) and the selection of the nominees for the Chairpersonship and the Co-Chairmanship of the Council.

It would be recalled that the RDC in Eastern Visayas changed the qualifications of the Private Sector Representatives in order that the sectors in the priority thrusts of each of the provinces will be the ones to represent their respective provinces.

Thus, the territorial/georaphical representative for the province of Leyte will come from the banking sector; Biliran will come from the palay industry; Southern Leyte from the abaca farmers cooperative; Samar from the fishing industry; Eastern Samar from eco-tourism/environment sector; and  Northern Samar from the coconut industry.

Meanwhile, for the RDC Chairmanship, the names of Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento have long been mentioned in the grapevines. Mayor Mel Sarmiento has written to the RDC members to signify his intention. Governor Petilla, although still on leave, has signified his willingness to serve as RDC Chair as the general membership clamors for it.

Director Go-soco explained that two names are usually submitted for confirmation of the President. In the history of RDC 8 however, whoever gets the highest vote during the selection, has always been the one confirmed by the President.