New RDC Cordillera officials named

BAGUIO CITY --President Benigno S. Aquino III appointed recently new officials of the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera Administrative Region from 2011 to 2013 to follow through priority programs of his administration for countryside development.

Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac, a member of the Liberal Party , was named RDC-CAR chairperson while Dr. Virgilio C. Bautista, a well-known local educator and a veteran private sector representative of the council, was designated co-chairperson of the region’s policy-making body.

Under existing policies, if the appointed chairperson of the RDC comes from the government sector, the co-chairperson must come from the private sector and vice versa.

Baac, who attended the meeting of the third autonomy drafting committee meeting here last Wednesday, said the task given to him to lead the region in crafting priority programs to spur economic development was a challenging one.

But he added the teamwork and unity of local officials and regional line agency officials and employees will be instrumental in achieving the goal of bringing the region towards greater heights.

He said concerned government agencies and local governments must strengthen their working relationship so the RDC-CAR’s objectives will be easily achieved.

With this, he added, development will be brought to rural areas which are in dire need of government support.– Dexter A. See