With the constriction and stagnation of resources to address the growing demand of development, the conduct of the Cagayan Valley Regional Planners Convention will allow the region to prepare for and acquire a deeper understanding of the emerging developments arising from the Mandanas-Garcia ruling. This was the key message of Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III, the Chair of the RDC, during the 9th Cagayan Valley Planners Convention held on September 28. 

EO 138 provides for the full devolution of functions, facilities and services of the national government to the LGUs including the measures to mitigate the fiscal impact of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling.  

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua affirmed the crucial role of the RDCs in implementing Executive Order 138. “Before the ruling is implemented, the RDCs need to ensure a strong vertical link and convergence among national, regional, and international development priorities. The newly created Regional Committee on Devolution will lead these efforts, in coordination with the other RDC sectoral committees,” Secretary Chua said in his speech during the event.  

OIC-Regional Director Francis C. Bautista of the DBM discussed the role of the RDC during the transition. “To oversee the overall efforts in the implementation of the EO 138, the Regional Committee on Devolution (ComDev) was created. Among its function includes the monitoring of the implementation of the detailed transition plans (DTPs) of the LGUs. The Regional ComDev is a special committee of the RDC,” he said. 

With the changes brought about by EO 138, the need to harmonize all local, regional and national plans and investment programs is even more pressing. This was elaborated by NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development Group Mercedita A. Sombilla. The end goal of these efforts is to attain the collective and long-term aspiration of the Filipino people for a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay found in AmbisyonNatin 2040. For resource mobilization, Vernon S. Talattag, of the BLGF, presented the agency’s recommended revenue generation strategies for the LGUs to attain fiscal sustainability.  

The 9th Planners Convention was the highlight of this year’s RDC2 Week celebration. It aimed to capacitate the RDC members, regional and local planners from national agencies and local government units on the implementation of the LGU full devolution.