- CHERYL G. CRUZ
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Benitez as chairperson of the Regional Development Council VI, the National Economic and Development Authority in Western Visayas said Oct. 21.
The Council is co-chaired by PCCI Region 6-Western Visayas governor, Atty. Jobert Afable Peñaflorida, the NEDA said, adding that the appointed officials will lead “in setting forth development directions in the region during the length of their three-year term, from 2022-2025.”
Benitez was unanimously elected to lead the RDC6 during its reorganization in August, but a confirmation from Marcos was needed for the mayor to formally assume the post.
He hosted the first face-to-face meeting of the RDC in Bacolod Oct. 13, where NEDA6 OIC regional director Arecio Casing Jr. acted as chairperson.
In that 3rd Quarter Regular Meeting, Benitez said projects in waiting include those on power, waste management, and a regional penal colony, even as the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridges Project was among the big-ticket projects already endorsed by the RDC6 to boost the economy in the region.
Marcos, meanwhile, will be in Bacolod on Oct. 23 for the MassKara Festival highlights, his first visit to the city and Negros Occidental since he won in the May 9 elections.
In his MassKara message, Marcos invited “people from across the country to join in, explore unique places in Bacolod, and meet new people along the way, as they may fill the great and urgent need to uplift our dispositions at this crucial time.”
“May the vivid colors and smiles so common and abundant during the festivities serve as declarations of resilience, even as we tackle our deepest concerns and overcome our greatest hurdles, especially now that we are steadily gaining grounds on the difficult task of nation-building,” he added.
He said he wishes that the 43rd MassKara Festival “will bring out the best in each of us, and bind us together for a renewed sense of purpose… reignite the spirit of community in our hearts, and deepen our appreciation for our timeless cultures and traditions.”/CGC
