Regional Development Councils (RDCs) in Mindanao unanimously voted Davao del Norte Governor Antonio Rafael G. del Rosario as chairman of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board-Regional Development Committee (RDCom) for the Mindanao Area.
The Mindanao RDCs chose del Rosario to represent the island to the NEDA Board during the recent organizational meeting of the Mindanao Area Committee of the RDCom at the Park Inn Hotel, Davao City.
Present were chairs and vice-chairs of the RDCs and NEDA Regional Directors for Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, as well as the representative of the Executive Director of the Regional Planning and Development Office of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Governor Anthony, as del Rosario is fondly called, is also the chair of RDC-11, which is the highest planning and policy making body in the Davao Region.
In an interview, the RDCom chair stressed his resolve to fulfill his mandate in the Neda Board-RDCom, which includes the articulation of Mindanao’s policy concerns.
He vowed to vigorously address the disparities in regional development priorities, adding he will work harder to promote equitable allocation of resources and to effectively respond to critical regional and local development needs.
Del Rosario said he will rally the RDCs in Mindanao to constantly thrash out common constraints and challenges and pursue key sectoral priorities to enable the region to substantially contribute to national development goals.
He also revealed his all-out support and commitment to the Duterte administration’s socio-economic and peace agenda, such as heavy investment on human resources and accelerated infrastructure spending including the reduction of logistics costs in the Mindanao area by improving linkage roads to key ports and other production areas, among others.
The official earlier proposed the first phase of the Mindanao Railway Project to commence on the Digos City–Davao City–Tagum City Section.
The governor assured his constituents in Davao del Norte that he will not neglect his primary duty, particularly in serving their best interest, even as he breezes through his various official capacities.
“…rest assured I will put Davao del Norte in a vantage position and at the same time fulfill my obligations … While I intend to be a good father to our Dabaonon people through my leadership branding “Abilidad at Malasakit (AMA),” he told the provincial officials and employees during the Capitol Convocation Program last Monday.
