By Connie Calipay
LEGAZPI CITY – The Regional Development Council Bicol (RDC-5) has officially endorsed projects totaling PHP430.38 billion for the fiscal year 2025 budget proposals. These projects come from 37 regional line agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and nine state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the region.
According to a media release on Thursday by National Economic and Development Authority Bicol (NEDA-5) Regional Director Luis Banua, resolutions passed during the RDC’s first-quarter full council meeting on Wednesday will be forwarded to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and GOCC central offices, as well as to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the SUCs, and Congress, for potential inclusion in the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
The FY 2025 budget proposals were subjected to a stringent technical review to strengthen the linkage of the planning, investment programming and budgeting processes and ensure that the programs, activities and projects (PAPs) align with regional priorities such as the Philippine/Bicol Regional Development Plans (P/RDP), Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) and regional core PAPs, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030, and National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document 2023-2028,” Banua said.
He said the region’s highest policymaking body has a strong commitment to further the socioeconomic development of the region.
The Bicol RDC supported, endorsed and approved various initiatives to steer the socioeconomic development of the region such as the Annual Regional Economic Situationer; Project 6B: Bawat Batang Bicolano Bihasang Bumasa at Bumilang; the expanded Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Program; port development and interconnectivity along the strong republic nautical highway corridors; recommendations on the Tertiary Education Subsidy for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, and the good practices of the Tabaco City Community-Based Monitoring System Dashboard.
Banua said the council also approved the top three priority projects of the region that will be lobbied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in an upcoming dialogue with all RDC chairpersons nationwide.
These are the PNR South Long Haul Project, the Airport Development Projects which include the construction of new airports in Naga and Masbate, and the feasibility study for the Sorsogon-Samar Bridges Project. (PNA)
