Gov. Dodo Elected Chair of Regional Development Committee for Luzon

May 12, 2017

Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas was unanimously elected as the new chairperson of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Development Committee (RDComm) for Luzon Area in a meeting last May 2, 2017 in Pasig City.

Gov. Mandanas was chosen by the chairpersons of the Regional Development Councils of Regions 1, 2, 3, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and 6. His counterpart at the RDComm for the Visayas Area is Tacloban Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, while Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony G. del Rosario is the RDComm head for Mindanao.

The NEDA Board Regional Development Committees were institutionalized through Executive Order No. 257, implemented by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last December 15, 2003, primarily to “effectively address the critical regional and local development needs, there is a need for a coordinated effort at the national level that shall strengthen the linkages between national and regional/local planning, programming, budgeting and implementation.”

Last March 8, 2017, Governor Mandanas was appointed as the Chairperson of Region IV-A (CALABARZON) Regional Development Council (RDC) by President Rodrigo R. Duterte. This is the second time the Batangas local chief executive was handed the reins of RDC – CALABARZON as Mandanas chaired the said council from 1995 to 2004, when he was first elected as Batangas governor.

A key member of President Duterte’s investment team during presidential state visits, Gov. Mandanas works for the development of basic infrastructures and services in the province, such as the food terminal, port expansion in Batangas City and the along the Batangas coastline, train service revival from Batangas City to Calamba City and the commercial operation of Fernando Airbase in Lipa City, among others. With these in place, investments would flow that would create jobs for Batangueños and residents of CALABARZON. Vince Altar / Batangas Capitol PIO