The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, headed by Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, welcomed various local leaders in the Ilocos Region and representatives from the private sector for the Regional Development Council (RDC) Executive Committee Meeting held at the Sitio Remedios Resort in Currimao, Ilocos Norte, on November 22, 2022.
The Regional Development Council is responsible for monitoring, coordinating, and setting the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region to ensure the overall growth of the provinces within their jurisdiction.
“We all know of course the crucial role that the RDC can play not only for the region but as for the county and it’s our time that we not only activate our RDC but also we maximize the output and the results that come” Governor Matthew Marcos stated during the ExeCom meeting.
Gov. Marcos Manotoc and the private sector’s Representative for the Social Sector, Ms. Mary Jane C. Ortega, took their oaths of office as the new RDC-1 Chairperson and Co-Chairperson, presided over by Governor Jeremias Singson of Ilocos Sur.
During the executive committee meeting, Gov. Marcos Manotoc reiterated his commitment to revitalizing the region’s economy through transformative development strategies in the Ilocos Region Development Plan 2023-2028.
Among the subjects discussed in the meeting were the assessment and challenges the various provinces faced, the status of the non-operational Philippine Economic Zones Authority, the priority investment areas, and the presentation of RDC-1 matters.
“We need to think outside the box and be innovative as possible. We make sure to prioritize the function over form kasi alam po natin sa gobyerno paminsan hanggang complaints lang, so I want to make sure that we are as pragmatic or as practical as possible with the RDC to make sure that we are not only active but efficient in terms of how we conduct our own business” he noted.
The meeting concluded on a positive note as they established their specific key priorities for the next six (6) years, such as better tax rates and anti-corruption; high-quality mass housing; the development of the agriculture, education, health, and environment sectors; food security; quality jobs and quality pay, and interconnected and efficient public transportation and Internet network.
RDC-1 will conduct its next executive committee meeting on December 14, 2022, at the Bacnotan Campus of Don Mariano Marcos State University in La Union.－Allyssa Charisse G. Magno and Geraldine R. Ulep, PGIN-CMO Interns.
