A SPECIAL council meeting will be held on July 27 to elect the new regional Development Council XI (RDC XI) chairperson to replace the late Davao Oriental Governor and RDC XI chairperson Corazon Malanyaon, who passed away last June 28.
During Wednesday’s Habi at Kape forum, RDC XI co-chair Arturo Milan said that he called for a meeting to determine who will be the new head “so that the matters regarding RDC will continue to function.”
Milan will continue to act as the acting chairperson in the meantime. He said the next candidate must be an elected official to be eligible for the position.
The RDC XI is the region’s highest policy-making and development body and the counterpart of the National Economic and Development Authority Board at the subnational level. It oversees the region’s overall socio-economic development and coordinates development planning and policy-making.
On May 23, 2023, the NEDA XI, through RDC XI, officially launched the Davao Regional Development Plan 2023-2028. The blueprint contains the priority development agenda for the next six years.
Meanwhile, Milan said the business sector is upbeat about the new investments coming in, including Monde Nissin, which will put up a plant in Bunawan, and Grab Taxi.
He also said that property development companies and townships like SM Development Corporation (SMDC) are committed to expanding in Davao City. “Big Manila players” like Ayala Land Premier will launch a high-end subdivision in Toril District, among others.
Milan also mentioned the Davao Global Township (DGT) by the Cebu Landmasters in Matina, which already have pockets of activities happening.
Even in the academe, there are developments as well, Milan said. The De La Salle University Graduate Studies will be putting up areas in the Cebu Landmasters project. The Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao is also looking for areas to expand its campus in the northern part of Davao City.
“There’s a lot of things happening here in Davao and in Mindanao,” Milan emphasized.
He also mentioned that Davao Region ranked 3rd with the fastest-growing economy among the 17 regions in the country in 2022, with 8.1% growth, and Mindanao registered lower with 7.1% than the national GDP average of 7.6%.
