The Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC-7) together with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) launched the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2038 on Aug. 8, 2023 at Mezzo Hotel, Mabolo.

The RDP is anchored in the AmBisyon Natin 2040, a collective long-term vision of having a Matatag (strongly rooted), Maginhawa (comfortable), at Panatag (secure) na Buhay Para sa Lahat (life for all). 

This is aligned with the administration’s eight-point socio-economic agenda and the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. 

The RDP covers various strategies and approaches that would be implemented locally to achieve poverty reduction, economic growth, boosted employment rates, and combat inflation.

“Our Central Visayas RDP 2023 to 2028 will serve as our guiding light, our north star that will guide us back to the high growth path that we have started in the region prior to the local challenges that we faced in Central Visayas,” NEDA-7 Regional Director Jennifer Bretaña said during the launch.

To reverse the impact caused by the pandemic, Bretaña urged officials to “translate the plan into action” and participate in the upcoming organizational activities for the RDP.

Aside from the AmBisyon Natin 2040, the RDP also considered all the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the global and regional trends, and the 2030 sustainable development goals.

The planning preparation underwent multi-stakeholders consultation following the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

Consultations were done at the provincial level, focused group discussions, Sectoral Committee consultation meetings, and peer reviews involving members at the national level together with other NEDA regional offices and the RDC Sectoral Committee secretariat.

The RDP 2023-2028 was approved on March 16, 2023 with the vision of Central Visayas becoming a premier tourism destination, logistics hub, center for trade and industry, science and technology, and innovation.

The overall goal of the plan is to reinvigorate job creation and accelerate poverty reduction by steering the economy back on the high growth path.

With the lifting of the COVID-19 restriction, a projected 6.8% to 8.5% is targeted for the region’s GRDP.

Regional economy growth

From 2016 to 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of Central Visayas grew at an average annual rate of 7%. 

Based on the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Central Visayas was the fourth fastest in growth rate among the 16 regions in the country, experiencing a contraction only in 2020.

The regional economy recovered slowly in 2021 due to the ease of COVID-19 restrictions, which resulted in a 5.4% growth rate.

One of the economic drivers of the region during the pandemic is agriculture.

The agriculture industry's resiliency amid the pandemic showed a growth 4.2% in 2020 and 5.6% in 2021, surpassing its growth target of 2.8% to 2.9% for 2020-2021.

Despite the contraction brought about by the pandemic, all the regional economies were able to recover in 2021, with Cebu province -  led by Cebu City - and Siquijor province both posting a high growth rate at 5.7%.

The region continues to grow as reflected in the 7.6% growth in its gross regional domestic product in 2022, surpassing the pre-pandemic growth rate of 6.5%.

The regional growth equaled the national gross domestic product growth rate of 7.6% in 2022.

Achievements and support

NEDA Regional Development Group Usec. Carlos Abad Santos said in his keynote speech that “the RDC represents a significant milestone driven by the ambition of fostering economic and social transformation in Central Visayas.”

He said that Central Visayas is one of the first regions to complete the RDP.

Santos said there are a lot of opportunities for agri-business expansion with the provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental, leading the region’s agricultural sector with potential integration of the industry and manufacturing sectors.

During his welcome speech, RDC Chair and Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado said that "we have shown our strength and resilience as one people of Central Visayas that co-created the plan that will serve as our guide and a roadmap in realizing our collective aspiration and goal, which is the economic and social transformation in the fastest possible time as we rise above local and global challenges."

“CVRDP 2023-2028 is not the plan of NEDA-7, rather, it is our plan for ourselves. It is our plan that we cocreated for our region, our nation," said Aumentado. 

He added that all members of the council would convene for the strategic action planning workshop to identify flagship projects and strategies to be implemented for the next five years.

RDC Sectoral Committee Chairperson Melanie Ng of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) expressed her full support to the RDP implementation.

She said the EDC has initially identified some initiatives that are targeted to be accomplished in 2023 to 2028. 

“To ensure food security and strengthen linkages between stakeholders in the region, the EDC will formulate a regional food map and a regional economic circuits map. The committee will also continue to support the interagency task force on zero hunger and food waste reduction," Ng said.

In terms of tourism, the EDC will advocate for permanent positions for tourism officers in the LGUs and support the buy local go local policy.

Department of Social Welfare and Development 7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, speaking in behalf of Dr. Profetiza Lim of the Social Development Committee, assured that the centerpiece of the committee is the implementation of the social sector strategies.

Lucero said that they would focus on these strategies since the "desired outputs are along the areas of boosting health and nutrition, improving education, establishing liveable communities, expanding skills and training developments and strengthening social protection.”

Kenneth Cobonpue of the Infrastructure Development Committee also shared that the committee has continued their efforts to address infrastructure gaps in the region including flood control and transportation.

Full Support

Meanwhile, Siquijor Gov. Jake Vincent Villa said he looks forward to the positive outcome of the RDP 2023-2028. 

"The RDP will be the roadmap for all our projects. It will play a pivotal role and we support its passage," said Villa. 

Mayor Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu also expressed his support to the RDC and acknowledge that "the RDC plays a crucial role in addressing economic concerns."

Chan credited the efforts of NEDA and RDC-7 on the approval of the fourth bridge connecting Northern Cebu to Mactan and the Lapu-Lapu Expressway or the Skyway project. 

“I pledge my 101% support for the RDP 2023-2028," Chan added.

The launching ceremony ended with the signing of a pledge of commitment to the CVRDP 2023-2028. (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)