Regional Development Council Chair Kenneth Cobonpue commended Gov. Edgar Chatto for completed and well-prepared plans of Bohol in the submission of plans for funding in 2019. Cobonpue commented on this on Friday’s RDC full council meeting in Cebu.
Urging RDC members to follow suit, Cobonpue said “take advantage of golden age of infrastructure”.
The RDC also approved for endorsement the Seawater Desalination Project of Dauis, Bohol to the NEDA-ICC. It also favorably endorsed the Bohol Provincial Commodity Investment Plan for Highland Vegetables and Buffalo Dairy to appropriate agencies for consideration in plans and programs.
Chatto explained that while the RDC focuses on the regional sphere as far as plans and programs are concerned, RDC endorsements weigh a lot in lobbying for funding for programs and projects, pushing for Bohol priority plans and programs for RDC approval and endorsement.
One such example is the Panglao New Offshore Bridge Connector project, which the Department of Public Works and Highways gave an update on.
According to DPWH, the Feasibility Study for the said project is substantially completed. It is scheduled for approval this December, after which it will be submitted to the National Economic Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) for funding. Said project has been allocated initial funding in the 2018 budget.
In the Economic Development Cluster Technical Working Group report by chair Melanie Ng, the Cebu Ports Authority system for online integration of passenger ticket-terminal fee will begin on December 15.
Bohol Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is set to convene with stakeholder companies to present a similar arrangement on integration in the Tagbilaran, Tubigon, and Jagna ports.
This measure is part of push for seamless travel in the Visayas islands.
The RDC also commended Bohol for being named Most Business-Friendly Province by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and for being recipient of Seal of Good Local Governance by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Cebu and Siquijor also received the Seal of Good Local Governance form DILG along with Tagbilaran City, Naga City, and the towns of Samboan, Sogod and Tudela, all of Cebu; and Alicia, Bien Unido, Duero, and Tubigon, all of Bohol. (Leah/EDCOM)