The Regional Development Council VIII-Advisory Committee (RDC VIII-AdCom) endorsed the major priority programs and projects (PPs) of Eastern Visayas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 during a virtual meeting held on 27 May 2021 via Zoom.

NEDA Regional Office VIII presented 13 Priority Programs and Projects of Region VIII for 2022 to the Congresspersons to solicit their support in securing funding for the said projects. These projects are: (1) Completion of Facilities of the EVRMC; (2) Upgrading of the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital; (3) Upgrading of Samar Provincial Hospital; (4) Construction of the Outpatient Department of SOYMPH; (5) Airport Infrastructure Development Projects; (6) Port Development Projects; (7) Provincial Bridges for Economic Development; (8) WiFi Project; (9) Flood Management Program; (10) Geohazard Operations Center and Laboratory; (11) Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Program Pillar 3; (12) Aquaculture Post-harvest and Marketing Program; and (13) Special Areas for Agricultural Development (SAAD).

Also endorsed were an additional Php 466 million-worth of PPs for FY 2022 and the Provincial Bridges for Economic Development (PROBRED) Program in the region worth more than Php 2 billion, both presented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) VIII.

Meanwhile, the Committee also endorsed the priority list of barangays for inclusion in the FY 2022 Barangay Development Program (BDP) under the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) program of the national government. Projects under the BDP are designed to provide socioeconomic interventions to insurgency-cleared barangays to ensure that peace will be sustained in these areas by bringing economic prosperity. Similarly, the AdCom also endorsed PPs under the Eastern Visayas Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Action Plan.

The RDC VIII-AdCom acts as an advisory body to the RDC VIII, tasked to advise, assist, and support the Council in discharging its functions. The Committee is composed of members of the RDC VIII-Executive Committee and the Congresspersons from the region. The creation of the AdCom is provided for under Section 8 of the Executive Order No. 325, Series of 1996, entitled Reorganization of Regional Development Councils.

The meeting was attended by several Congresspersons including Leyte 2nd District Rep. Lolita T. Javier, Rep. Paul Daza of the 1st District of Northern Samar, Rep. Sharee Ann T. Tan of the 2nd District of Samar, Rep. Roger G. Mercado of the Lone District of Southern Leyte, and Rep. Florencio G. Noel of the An Waray Party-list.

Article and Photos by: Knulp Aseo