BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) was able to perform its mandated functions beyond their expectations through the support of concerned stakeholders over the past several years.
Milagros A. Rimando, RDC-CAR vice chairperson and regional director of the Cordillera office of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA-CAR) the region’s policy-making body, was able to coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of short and long-term regional development plans and investments programs; initiate and coordinate the development, funding and implementation of regional and special development projects such as those involving several agencies, local governments and review and endorse to the national government the annual budgets of agency regional offices, state colleges and universities and special development authorities.
During the past few months, RDC has been busy formulating new Regional Development Plan (RDP) and Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) which identifies and ranks the priority projects for the period 2017-2022. A long term plan, the Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF) 2016-2045 is also on the drawing board providing for the development of growth centers spread throughout the region with corresponding spatial development strategies to attain the development objectives of the region. The RSDF went through provincial consultations from June 7 to July 22, 2016, to obtain inputs from provincial stakeholders and thereby ensure that the objectives, strategies policies, programs/projects contained in the Plan also reflect the aspirations of the provinces.
In addition, RDC has formulated and published the following reference documents: the CAR Investment Priority Plan 2015-2016 to serve as guide for private entrepreneurs in identifying areas for investments; the CAR Regional Research Agenda 2015-2016 to serve as guide on researchable areas needed to support development in the region; the CAR Coffee Master Plan 2016-2022 to serve as the blueprint for the development of coffee, our most important high-value commodity in the region, and the Declaration of Principles for Environmental Governance (DPEG) to serve as a guide and to set policy directions in environmental management.
Last year the RDC reviewed the 2017 budget proposal of 16 regional line agencies and 6 state colleges and universities by a panel composed of members of the RDC Executive Committee and Regional Development Budget Coordination Committee. This year, a budget review of regional line agencies and state colleges and universities is scheduled on March 13-14, 2017 to ensure the funding of priority projects in the RDIP.
In 2016 alone, the RDC championed three milestone projects that are now benefiting the region namely, CHARMP2 Scaling up, BLISTT Outer Circumferential Road Project, and Philippine Rural Development Project. These projects were endorsed by the Regional Development Council-CAR.
One achievement of the RDC is the endorsement and approval of the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resources Management Project (CHARMP2) Scaling Up whose components are Social Mobilization and Participatory Investment Planning, Agro-forestry, Agriculture Agribusiness and Income Generating Activities (AAIGA) and Rural Infrastructure Development (RID). Despite initial opposition to this project, NEDA-CAR shepherded this project to increase farmers’ income in the Cordillera. NEDA presented justification for this project in the Investment Coordinating Committee meetings until it was finally approved by the NEDA Board last November 14, 2016. This project is aimed at consolidating the success of the earlier CHARMP2 projects and provides the opportunity to expand investments to the poorest areas of CAR that did not receive support from the earlier CHARMP2 project. It will serve 18 poor municipalities (3 per province) and costs about Php601 million for implementation within the next two (2) years (2017 – 2018).
The RDC Secretariat also guided and coordinated the preparation of the Feasibility Study (FS) of the Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay (BLISTT) Outer Ring Circumferential Road, a critical road project included in the RDC-endorsed Updated RDIP 2015-2017. DPWH-CAR staff stayed in the NEDA office for 3 months from January to March 2016 where regular consultations and workshops were undertaken to review outputs, until the final completion of the FS. The FS found the road economically and financially viable and this made the DPWH Central Office allocate PhP450 million this year (2017) and every year thereafter until the road will be finally completed. Upon its completion, the outer circumferential road will serve as an alternate route to the inner circumferential road, enhance further BLISTT interlinkages and thus, stimulate economic activity in this area.
Under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), one hundred four (104) projects amounting to PhP5.06 billion are lined up for implementation this year till 2020 across 6 provinces in CAR. These projects consist both of the IBUILD (62 sub projects) at PhP4.9 billion and IREAP (40 sub projects) amounting to PhP97 Million.
Project monitoring inspections were also organized for 38 projects that included three tourism roads, two PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) projects, one Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project Phase (ARISP), 11 School Building Program/Basic Education Facilities and 11 RAIN Projects. Selected projects were the subject of PSS such as the bridge project in Betwagan, Sadanga funded by PAMANA, SBP/BEF projects in Benguet and all the tourism road projects.
Forty seven (47) resolutions were enacted by the RDC in 2016 pertaining to various programs/projects. One of these resolutions is entitled “Urging Congress to Enact a Law
Suspending the Period of Availment for Indigenous Peoples to Secure Land Title to their Ancestral Lands under the Provisions of Common Wealth Act 141 as provided in Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997” which was acted on immediately by the Congressional Committee on IPs. Relatedly, three separate House Bills in the 17th Congress were filed pushing for the extension of the period of availment. In an effort to promote excellence among the LGUs, the RDC also instituted the Forwarding Local Autonomy Medal of Excellence (FLAME) Awards through Resolution No. 35. Awards are given every July during the Cordillera Month Celebration. RDC-CAR also endorsed the conduct of Project Feasibility Studies for the Chico River Mega Dike Project and the Lubuagan-Boliney-Pilar-Sta. Maria National Road in Kalinga as well as the Amburayan River Basin to be declared as Water Quality Management Area (WQMA).
By HENT