BACOLOD City – Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez of this city has been elected chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Western Visayas for a three-year term from 2022 to 2025 during an organizational meeting on Aug. 18 at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) regional office in Iloilo City.
The names of Benitez, along with those of the other elected officials of RDC, will be endorsed to the Office of the President for final appointment.
During the organizational meeting, a total of 74 full council members were present.
The RDC is the highest policy-making body in the region and the primary institution that sets forward development directions across different sectors.
Full council members were called to select nominees for the new chairperson and co-chairperson.
Under Executive Order No. 325, in the event that the chairperson will be selected from the government sector, the co-chairperson shall come from the private sector, or vice versa.
Benitez was the lone nominee for chairperson and since he came from the government sector, the nominees for co-chairperson came from the private sector – Atty. Joebert Peñaflorida of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) – Western Visayas and Maria Luisa Segovia of the Iloilo Business Club (IBC.
Chairpersons and co-chairpersons for the sector committees were also elected as follows:
* Development Administration Committee – chairperson, Engr. Juan Jovian Inginiero, Interior and Local Government director; co-chairperson, Engr. Fulbert C. Woo, president, PCCI-Iloilo
* Economic Development Committee – chairperson, Rebecca M. Rascon, Trade and Industry director; co-chairperson, Atty. Joebert Peñaflorida, regional governor, PCCI
* Infrastructure Development Committee – chairperson, Mayor Jerry Treñas; Iloilo City; co-chairperson, Ma. Luisa C. Segovia, vice president, IBC
* Social Development Committee – chairperson, Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao of Antique; co-chairperson, Heidi G. Foulc, Cameleon Association, Inc./PN
