Only two (2) regular Council meetings were conducted in CY 2002. Still, this was a significant year for the RDC5 as Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to the Region for the Joint Cabinet-RDC-RPOC Meeting held in Naga City on 03 June 2002. A set of directives was issued by the President, which defined the key activities of the RDC5 for the rest of the year. Of foremost concern was the President’s instruction for Bicol to conduct a Power Summit to address its energy-related problems.

   Development Planning and Investment Programming

   Presented with two sets of alternative blueprints for development, namely: the Bicol Growth Corridor and the Bicol Integrated Development Master Plan, the Council sought the NEDA’s assistance by way of making a comparative analysis of the two proposals

   An update on the Pantao Port Development Project (February 2001) indicated that the ICC did not find the project viable during its deliberation and that it will be deferred until such time that the PPA will have made the necessary justifications. It was disclosed by PPA, however, that the project might be pursued using PPA’s internal corporate funds. Meanwhile, the RDC5 passed a Resolution requesting support from RDCs of the Visayas regions for the fast tracking of the development of Pantao Port.

   Implementation of Local Projects

   Various Resolutions pertinent to facilitating the planning and implementation of local projects were passed, namely:

• Resolution requesting the DPWH to prioritize the fund sourcing of additional financial requirements for the construction of the new Basud Bridge in Sto. Domingo, Albay;

• Resolution requesting the DPWH-Project Management Office to conduct the Feasibility Study for the proposed Diversion Road along San Fernando, Camarines Sur-Polangui, Albay section;

• Resolution endorsing the establishment of a 50 MT cold storage and fish processing plant project in Mercedes, Camarines Norte;

• Resolution endorsing the province of Camarines Norte as the site for Mainstreaming Sustainable Development (MSD) Project for the Bicol Region;

• Resolution endorsing the Province of Albay as the Pilot Province in the Bicol Region for the 2003 Early Childhood Care and Development Program Implementation;

• project proposal on intensified crop production entitled “OPLAN Taas Ani” by the DA RFU5 was endorsed to the DA Central Office for possible funding.

   Foreign-Assisted Projects

 

   The Barangay Roads Development Program: Equipment Depot Project, proposed by the Partido Development Authority (PDA), was approved and endorsed for funding support under the Japan Grant Aid Assistance Program for the conduct of feasibility study.

 

   The Implementation Plan for the Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Around Mayon Volcano was approved and endorsed for funding under the JBIC’s 26^th Yen Loan Package.

 

   Before the end of CY 2002, RDC5 endorsed projects that were approved by the Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC), as follows:

• Daraga Substation Expansion Project for funding under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of Korea;

• Proposed Improvement and Expansion of the Pasacao Water Supply System for inclusion under the Asian Development Bank-assisted Small Towns Water Supply Sector Project Loan Package;

• Proposed Improvement and Expansion of the Jose Panaganiban Water District under the Asian Development Bank-assisted Small Towns Water Supply Sector Project Loan Package; and

• Intermodal Link Between Camarines Sur and Catanduanes for ODA Financing.

   Settlement of Regional/Internal Issues Concerns

 

   Operational Issues.  Following-up on the issue of representation of the Private Sector for Masbate and Catanduanes, the Council confirmed on 12 February 2002, Rev. Fr. Ely M. Alvarez as the PSR for Masbate. The RDC has likewise eventually confirmed Atty. Honesto Morales as PSR for Catanduanes.

 

   To help augment the rising cost of operations for the Council, the members approved to increase the annual contribution by the RLAs and SNVMs to Php2,500 each, payable within the first quarter of the year.  The annual contributions of LGU members, however, remained the same with the provincial governments contributing Php20,000 each; the city governments at Php10,000 each; and the capital municipalities at Php5,000 each. During this time, the Office of the President granted an amount of Php1 Million per RDC to augment its operational funds, wherein Chairman Bichara has fully transferred it to NEDA 5, as the RDC Secretariat, for beefing-up development activities in the region.

 

   Further on its operational issues, the Council approved the revised composition of the RDC5 Executive Committee to include the Regional Directors of DAR and DTI.

 

   Finally, during its meeting on 11 December 2002, the Council agreed to reactivate the Regional Committee on Sustainable Development (RCSD) and RDC5-Advisory Committee (ADCOM).

 

   Regional Development Issues. The RDC5 and RPOC5 jointly held a Special Meeting with Sec. Raul Roco, CORD for Region 5, on 27 May 2002, at Legazpi City to generate issues and concerns that need to be resolved with the President’s intervention. Those problems were presented to the President during the Joint Cabinet-RDC-RPOC Meeting held on 03 June 2002, at Naga City.

 

   The President responded with a set of directives, as follows:

• Conduct of a Regional Power Summit to discuss the different power-related issues;

• Include the topic/issues on non-availment of energy fund by LGUs and alternative power sources for irrigation in the Regional Power Summit;

• Support the proposed specific amendment to Local Government Code regarding the sharing of royalty taxes from geothermal plants, to be submitted by Congressman F. Fuentebella;

• Check the legality of the Proclamation issued by then President Estrada for the establishment of an integrated bus terminal near the Matnog Port;

• Explore the feasibility of utilizing the coconut levy fund for irrigation projects for the coconut lands;

• Availment of the Energy Fund by LGUs in the Bicol Region;

• Enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Couples for Christ and Habitat for Humanity for the construction of houses for the urban poor in the region;

• Fast track the implementation of energization program by energizing four (4) barangays a day. Specifically, it shall fully energize the areas of Bulan, Casiguran, Magallanes and Sorsogon City, all in Sorsogon within the next six (6) weeks;

• Pool funds for the construction of access roads leading to the San Vicente and Codon Ports in Camarines Sur;

• Improvement of the facilities in the Matnog Port by December 2002;

• Finish the construction of Pantao Port by year 2004;

• Assist HUDCC in identifying public lands suited for housing projects;

• Fast-track the energization of insurgency-affected barangays in Bicol Region and the establishment/organization of a CAFGU unit to address the insurgency problem in the region;

• Transfer of surplus battalions from Mindanao to the Bicol Region to provide security to local citizens, business enterprises and development projects.

   On 08 July 2002, NEDA 5 in coordination with the Council and with the Department of Energy (DOE), convened all stakeholders to a Power Pre-Summit.  The forum threshed out issues that needed to be addressed by the Regional Power Summit, as follows: (1) availment by the RDC of the financial benefits under Energy Regulation No. 1-94; (2) realignment of the 80 percent royalty share of host LGUs for development projects; and (3) consolidation of the electric cooperatives.

 

   On 23 September 2002, the Regional Power Summit, under the auspices of the DOE, pushed through in Legazpi City with the participation of some 200 stakeholders comprised of energy managers, users and providers.  Its focus, however, centered mainly on the problems besetting the electric cooperatives.

 

   Three (3) Resolutions were recommended for adoption by the RDC5 during the Summit Proper, namely: (1) a Resolution allowing the DBM to automatically deduct from the IRA of LGUs their unpaid electric bills from the Electric Cooperatives; (2) a Resolution supporting the publication of the list of top electric consumers/debtors in Region 5; and (3) a Resolution advocating for the non-interference of LGUs in the operations of electric cooperatives.

 

   Increase in RDC5 Membership

   The Executive Committee, during its regular meeting on 28 June 2002, approved the Commanding Officers of the 202^nd and 203^rd Brigades of the Philippine Army to be accepted as Special Non-Voting members of the RDC5.

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