The NB RDCom-MAC has convened for its 27th Conference, as well as for its reorganization for the term 2019-2022 on November 25, 2019 at Park Inn by Radisson, Lanang, Davao City.
In the said conference, RDC Caraga Chairperson, Agusan del Norte Governor Dale B. Corvera and RDC XI Chairperson, Compostela Valley Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy were selected as Chairperson and Co-Chairperson, respectively. The Private Sector Representative (PSR) of RDC Caraga, Mr. Epimaco M. Galero, Jr., was likewise chosen as the Regional Development Expert representing the Mindanao Area Committee to the NB-RDCom (Mother Committee).
Other members present during the meeting were RDC X Chairperson and Misamis Occidental Governor Philip T. Tan, RDC XI Vice-Chairperson and NEDA XI RD Maria Lourdes D. Lim, RDC IX Interim Chairperson and NEDA IX OIC-RD Phlorita R. Ridao, RDC XII Interim Chairperson and NEDA XII RD Teresita Socorro C. Ramos, RDC Caraga Vice-Chairperson and NEDA Caraga RD Bonifacio G. Uy and Ms. Rohanisah N. Rashid of the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA).
The Committee also acted on the following concerns. First, is the endorsement of the revised National Land Use and Management Act (NaLUMA), which was shared by Director Remedios S. Endencia of the NEDA-Regional Development Staff. The RDCom MAC recommended the inclusion of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in the proposed Land Use Policy Committee members.
Recognizing the value of having a common design standard for all government-implemented road projects, the Committee likewise enjoined all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to adopt the DPWH design standards for tourism and farm-to-market roads (FMRs) stipulated in DPWH Department Order No. 112, series of 2019, which was presented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) led by Assistant Secretary Maximo L. Carvajal.
Further, the Committee agreed to create a Regional Technical Working Group under the Mindanao RDCs’/Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-BPDA’s Infrastructure Development Committee with the purpose of harmonizing all roads and bridges proposals under the DPWH Convergence Programs. The said RTWG shall not only improve coordination among road implementing agencies and LGUs, but will also generate the roads and bridges inventory in their respective regions and rationalize the investment programming process to avoid double funding of a single project.
Moreover, the Committee enjoined all LGUs in Mindanao, through the DILG and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), to hasten the completion of Climate and Disaster Risk Sensitive Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CDRS-CLUP) updating and enact the accompanying zoning ordinances. The CDRS-CLUP aims to guide public sector policy and decision makers, particularly the local governments, in bringing about efficient settlement, production and service delivery systems for sustainable land use and disaster risk reduction.
Other significant agreements reached by the Committee were actions to stop the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF), as well as, resolving the boundary conflict between the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley. On the latter, the Committee directed RDC XI and RDC Caraga, through the facilitation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Field Operations in Mindanao, to jointly address the boundary conflict between the 2 provinces. – Laurice Cyl C. Pondoyo, NEDA XI