The Regional Development Council grows with the recognition of several new members from both the private and government sectors. The RDC Executive Committee confirmed 12 Special Non-Voting Members (SNVMs) comprised of 9 government sector and 3 from the private sector.
The following regional government agencies nominated by the various RDC sectoral committees were endorsed by the ExeCom, namely, Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM). The National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Office of Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP), Department of Justice (DOJ) were also nominated for relevance to development in the Cordillera despite not having a regional office in the CAR.
The SNVMs from the private sector are Andres Ngao-i of the Kalinga Bodong Council, Rafael Valencia of 911 on Call, and Deimler Cuyan of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Baguio-Benguet Chapter.
SNVMs are mandated through Executive Order 325. They are nominated based on their critical importance to the development of the region in which their functions are not fulfilled by existing RDC members.
RDC Chair and Abra Governor Joy Bernos also welcomed newly-appointed National Commission on Indigenous Peoples CAR (NCIP-CAR) Regional Director Manuel Jaramilla in place of Director Roland Calde who is now in Region I.
Moreover, former RDC-SNVM for 2016 to 2019, RDC Private Sector Representative (PSR) Peter Rey Bautista attended the meeting as co-chair of the Infrastructure Development Sector. Bautista will serve for 2019 to 2021 sharing his term with Maria Jorquesa Hakcholna of the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners. Bautista and Hakcholna tied twice in a special PSR election. Both agreed to share terms for the 2019 to 2022 term.
By Marlo Lubguban
