LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera projected a sustained economic growth regionwide with the implementation of the government’s medium-term development plan 2017-2022 through aggressive networking coupled with a clean, efficient and citizen-centered governance.
Milagros A. Rimando, regional director of the Cordillera office of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA-CAR) and RDC-CAR vice chairperson, said the government’s overall performance will be supported by the swift and fair administration of justice and the promotion of awareness and the valuing of cultural diversity.
In terms of achieving meaningful change, the government’s medium-term development plan is anchored on the expansion of economic opportunities and increased access to economic opportunities for the people in the countryside.
She added the quest for change will be anchored on strategic trade and fiscal policy, micro-economic stability, competition policy that will help accelerate human capital development and reduced vulnerability of the poor.
According to her, government agencies and local governments will be mandated to promote technology adoption, encourage innovation and maximize democratic dividend.
The drafting of the regional development plan started last month and will be completed by the first week of January 2017 for presentation to the RDC-CAR and will be revised by the second week of January based on RDC comments.
The regional development plan will then be submitted to the NEDA Secretary by the fourth week of January and subsequently submitted to the President and the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) at the same period.
The plan will then be printed and published for the information and guidance of the public by February 2017 prior to the full blast implementation of the identified priority projects not only in the region but nationwide.
Rimando admitted the remaining major challenges for the region in the coming years is sustaining regional economic growth and improving employment generation to further reduce poverty and inequality in the region.
Further, she cited the need to appropriately maintain environmental quality and increasing the region’s resilience to disasters while improving access to basic economic and social services.
Part of the conceptual regional development plan will be the ultimate completion of the regional infrastructure backbone and improved governance including attaining regional autonomy under federalism, one of the flagship programs of the present administration in order to guarantee faster pace of development in the countryside.
By HENT