| Perez
delivers 1st State of the Region Address
Highlights agriculture and tourism
 |
RDC
6 Chair and Antique Governor Sally Perez (R) with Negros
Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco during the RDC First
Quarter Regular Meeting in Bacolod City. |
“We,
in the region aspire to be an ecologically-balanced, gender-responsive,
healthy, progressive and peaceful Western Visayas Region,
with a globally-competitive economy and empowered citizenry.”
Antique Governor and Regional Development Council 6 Chairperson
Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez delivered the first ever State of
the Region Address (SORA) during the 1st Regional Development
Council Meeting for 2009 at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod
City on March 30. The SORA which took around 45 minutes highlights
the accomplishments of major development agencies of the region
last year and the major programs and activities that the RDC
will undertake this year.
Being an agricultural region, the RDC chair emphasized that
Western Visayas is a major contributor of agriculture products
in the country being the largest producer of sugarcane, and
the 3rd largest producer of rice and mangoes.
On the other hand, tourism, another thrust of the region,
“suffered tremendous blow” in 2008. Tourist arrivals
dropped by 14.8 percent during the year compared to 2007.
This is due to the fact that domestic tourists sharply fell
by 26.4 percent despite the increase in foreign tourist by
3.5 percent.
Governor Perez also mentioned the ONE Visayas Festival, which
according to her, is a dream which showcased the arts, culture,
creative industry and tourism of the three Visayan regions.
Then
again, Perez lamented about the tragedy brought by the typhoon
Frank, however, she later confided that the typhoon is more
of boon than bane.
“The
RDC witnessed one of the most historic moments in our Council…
all the six governors of Region 6 locked their arms in an
unprecedented united pose… to help one another in rehabilitating
the region.”
She also commented on the US financial dilemma. “It
resulted in the global economic crisis that affects vulnerable
sectors, such as our export-oriented SMEs, our overseas Filipino
workers whose remittances help keep our economy floating,”
she said.
“To
address the poverty situation, we implemented several poverty-alleviation
programs, such as the KALAHI programs or Kapit Bisig sa Kahirapan,
the Ginituang Masaganang Ani and other productivity enhancing
programs,” Perez said.
In
terms of power and energy, she pointed out the inclination
of her leadership towards the utilization of renewable sources
such as geothermal and hydroelectric. She related that the
RDC sponsored the Multi-Sectoral Dialogue on Climate Change,
Energy and Development Planning and the Renewable Energy Congress
were conducted to reduce the region’s “overdependence”
on fossil fuel.
In the next two years, Perez emphasized that the RDC will
push for more projects for approval of the Investment Coordinating
Committee and the NEDA Board; finalize the provincial Development
and Physical Framework Plans and city/municipal plans; more
trainings on project proposal preparation; conduct a Water
Summit; Support climate change and renewable energy activities;
conduct a forum to encourage more private sector and non-government
organizations involvement in development efforts; monitor
commitments under the Economic Resiliency Plan (ERP) and the
Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program
(or CLEEP); and track the progress and ensure the completion
of major infrastructure projects as programmed.
Governor Perez was generous in her praise of the governors
for their leadership and initiatives in promoting major development
programs and projects in their areas. She also commended the
city mayors, regional line agencies and the private sector
for their unwavering support to the region’s development
thrusts, i.e., agri-industrial development and tourism development.
In
conclusion, she challenged all sectors of society to pull
their acts together and collaborate so that Western Visayas
can achieve its ultimate dream of a better life for the people
sooner than expected./pio_antique
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