The Cagayan Valley Regional Development Council (RDC2) approved and endorsed to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Central Office the funding of projects worth PhP14 billion during its third quarter meeting on September 18 through video conference.

These include the slope protection projects along the Ilagan, Divilacan Road; Fugu-Anggasian bridge in Ilagan City; Cauayan City Northeast Alternate Route; by-pass roads in Calamaniugan and Alcala towns in Cagayan; and the conversion of three local roads in Tuao, Cagayan into national roads. The said funding was endorsed by the DPWH2 in its  fiscal year 2021 Supplemental Budget Proposal.

The Council also deliberated and gave its all-out support to the Cagayan Valley Regional Recovery Program (CVRRP) and the Balik Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa (BP2) Program. The Special BP2 Committee under the RDC will be headed by Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, the designated Cabinet member under the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS), as Chairperson. Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III, who is the RDC2 Chairperson, will be Co-Chairperson while Regional Director (RD) of the NEDA RO2 is Vice-Chairperson. The Committee will formulate an action plan and advise the RDC on policy directions and program actions in ensuring the effective BP2 roll-out in the region.

The members also adopted the result of a study on the implementation of the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP). The study was led by Chairperson of the Technical Working Group (TWG) Engr. Edgardo D. Sabado with NEDA2 and other concerned agencies as members.

Invited and also present during the meeting were the region’s members of the House of Representatives who are also members of the RDC2’s Advisory Committee.