The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the secretariat of the Regional Development Council (RDC) VIII, conducted a blended meeting with the RDC VIII Chairperson and Co-Chairperson on 04 November 2022 via Zoom. The meeting was held following the recent appointment of Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez as Chairperson and the Private Sector Representative (PSR) for Persons with Special Concerns (Women, Youth, Children, PWDs, Senior Citizens), Leo Christian V. Lauzon, as Co-Chairperson for the 2022-2025 term of office.

During the meeting, the Chairperson and Co-Chairperson were introduced to the members of the Secretariat and their respective functions. They were also oriented on the RDC VIII, its continuing reorganization, the challenges faced by the Council, as well as the status of the ongoing Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 formulation, among others.

“I’m very optimistic in working and collaborating with you along with our friends and colleagues from NEDA,” Co-Chairperson Lauzon said in his introduction.

“I’m happy to be working with people I have not worked with before because I feel it’s the best way to start. Like a blank canvas, everything from this point onwards is the art of the possible. We are not limited by anything. The possibilities are endless,” said Chairperson Torres-Gomez.

The appointment of Chairperson Torres-Gomez and Co-Chairperson Lauzon was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on 19 October 2022.

Article and Photo by: Veronica A. Riel, DRD