The Regional Development Council 2 private sector representatives were kept abreast on the government interventions towards national recovery from Covid 19 during the two-day RDC-PSRs National Convention held on April 28-29, 2022 via Videoconference.

Among the topics discussed are the: (1) government’s ten point policy agenda towards national recovery presented by NEDA Undersecretary Mercedita A. Sombilla; (2) the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Plan by DOTr program manager EnP Joemier Pantawe ; (3) strengthening of virology science, and developing and producing local vaccines in the Philippines by Dr. Annabelle V. Briones of DOST; and (4) climate adaptation and climate justice towards Sustainable Recovery by Dir. Elenida Rosario-Basug of DENR-Climate Change Service.

According to USec. Sombilla, the PSRs are important partners of government and they can participate in the country’s recovery and socioeconomic development through the supply of goods, reconfiguring of work spaces, participation in governance, development of digital economy, and retooling of labor force.

She also discussed the policy agenda for the next administration which are smarter infrastructure, innovation, climate change, and regional equity. These will be NEDA’s top priorities in the next Plan period.

A PSR Business Meeting was also conducted during the second day of the event where deliberations focused on various concerns from the economic, governance, social, environment, and infrastructure sectors.

The 13th staging of the Convention was organized by RDC Iloocos. It adopted the theme “Panagkaykaysa: Strengthening Unity, Harnessing Cooperation, and Sharing Responsibility Towards National Recovery.”It highlighted the unity and cooperation among the PSRs to sustain their active roles in the recovery plan from Covid-19 and other disasters, and strengthen their partnership and participation with the government. More than 200 private sector representatives, and officials and secretariats of the RDCs participated in the said activity. #DRD-AUC