By Vincent P. Grecia
Western Visayas generally showed an impressive growth rate a year after the COVID 19 pandemic lockdowns according to the Regional Development Council (RDC) 6.
During the RDC 6’s 2nd Quarter Regular Meeting held in Iloilo City on June 28, it was revealed that the growth rate of Western Visayas in the year 2022 hit the P955 billion mark or 9.3 percent.
RDC 6 chair and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was also recently elected chair of the National Economic Development Authority Board-Regional Development Committee, Visayas Area Committee (NB-RDCom VAC), said the growth rate in Western Visayas is impressive despite the challenges the region faced in 2022.
“Kudos to the efforts of the governors, the mayors, the regional line agencies and of course, the private sector,” Benitez said during his opening message.
Although inflation rate was at 6.6 percent on average, the highest among the regions, Benitez reasoned that it is natural for inflation to hit due to fast growth rate.
During the meeting, the RDC members unanimously endorsed the Top 30 priority
projects for allocation of the national government.
Topping the RDC 6 priority list is the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Inter Island Link Bridge with a total cost of P 187.53 billion and is expected to be completed by 2030.
This 32.47 km PGN Island Bridges Project is classified by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) as a rural expressway with two sea-crossing bridges, connecting roads and interchanges that will connect the three main islands of the region, seen to boost commerce and tourism in the covered areas.
“The Panay Guimaras Negros bridge should be the legacy of this council to make it happen in the years to come,” Benitez told the members of the council. (Report from PIA6)
