BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) endorsed 44 farm-to-market roads (FMRs) for funding under the Department of Agriculture’s FMR Development Program and backed the upgrade of the Ampecla, Bunot-Limpac, and Bacarri roads in Paracelis, Mountain Province, through the PAMANA Program. These road projects are expected to streamline the transport of agricultural inputs and produce, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance farmers’ market access. In turn, this will stimulate economic activity, create more livelihood opportunities, and improve transportation, social service access, and public safety.
The Council also endorsed the ‘Panahon ng Pagkilos: PH Locally-led Climate Action Project’ (PLCCAP) by the Department of Social Welfare and Development to the NEDA Board’s Investment Coordination Committee. The PLCCAP is the DSWD’s flagship climate change adaptation and mitigation program, which will cover 620 barangays in 43 municipalities with 255,005 beneficiaries in the region.
The RDC-CAR also endorsed proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to ensure fairer benefits for communities hosting power-generating facilities and watersheds. The amendments call for revising factors in the formula for calculating the community’s share of electricity sales, ensuring that these share of benefits remain equitable despite inflation. Additionally, the Council urged the region’s congressional representatives to pursue legislation redefining ‘Host Community’ in the Local Government Code, the Department of Energy Act, and the EPIRA Law. The proposed change would include upstream communities where headwaters are located, recognizing their role in the sustainable management of watersheds. These communities play a critical role in maintaining consistent water flow, which is essential to the power output of hydroelectric plants.
In a bid to preserve indigenous culture, the council encouraged all local governments in the region to pass ordinances establishing guidelines for the proper identification and use of traditional attire. This move aims to prevent the misuse and misrepresentation of indigenous garments, which are integral to the region’s cultural identity.
The council also approved the Cordillera region’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) catch-up plan, which outlines key initiatives, strategies, and policy reforms to close development gaps, boost resource mobilization, strengthen partnerships, and harness the region’s strengths and opportunities for sustainable growth.
RDC Chairperson and Apayao Gov. Elias C. Bulut, Jr. led the council during the meeting and was assisted by Co-Chairperson Edna Tabanda. Assistant Secretary Antonio Tabora, Presidential Assistant for the Cordillera Administrative Region, in a message to the Council sent through his representative, encouraged the body to strengthen efforts to attain our regional goals towards prosperity. Assistant Secretary Ana Carmela Ventura-Remigio, Presidential Assistant for Northern Luzon, was present during the meeting and encouraged the body to remain rooted in the region’s collective vision and to put people at the heart of the discussions, which are crucial to making the right choices to ensure the people’s welfare and promote the local economy while protecting the environment and cultural heritage. By Victor Eugene Caccam