President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has appointed Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzalez Romualdez as the new RDC VIII Chairperson for the 2017-2019 term of office. The appointment was signed by the President on 9 February 2017.

The RDC is the highest policy-making body in the region and serves as the regional counterpart of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 325, s. 1996, “Reorganization of the Regional Development Councils”, the RDC VIII is composed of six (6) provincial governors, seven (7) city mayors, two (2) capital town mayors, twenty-four (24) regional line agencies, and fifteen (15) private sector representatives, who represent one-fourth of the fully constituted Council. The NEDA Regional Office VIII serves as the Secretariat of the RDC VIII.

The RDC Chairperson’s functions are: a) preside over the Council meetings; b) direct members, affiliate committees and regional line agencies to perform tasks the Council may deem necessary; c) direct the formulation of a comprehensive regional development plan and preparation of a system of investment programming priorities for the region; d) supervise the monitoring of the implementation of major inter-provincial and region-wide development programs, projects and activities; and e) represent the region in Cabinet meetings and other activities at the national level.

The Secretariat enjoins all development stakeholders in the region and the entire people of Eastern Visayas to extend full support to the leadership of RDC VIII Chairperson Romualdez and work hand-in-hand toward the full socioeconomic recovery of Region VIII.

Meliza Y. Bacolbas, DRD, NEDA VIII