RDC IX 27th Year Celebration and 100th Meeting

Zamboanga Freeport Authority

June 21, 2001

 

The Regional Development Council of Western Mindanao celebrated its 27th anniversary since its creation in 1974 last June 21, 2001. Among the highlights of said celebration are the following: a) the 100th Regional Development Council IX meeting at the Zamboanga Freeport Authority Conference Hall; b) the RDC IX Inter-Sectoral Sports Festival which was participated in by the four sectoral committees of the RDC IX; and c) the RDC IX Testimonial Dinner and Awarding Ceremony at the Executive Hall, Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City.

 

A. The 100th Regional Development Council IX Meeting

 

The Regional Development Council IX convened for its 100th meeting on June 21, 2001, 9:00 A.M. at the Conference Room of the Zamboanga Freeport Authority, San Ramon, Zamboanga City. This meeting was attended by local chief executives in the region, heads of the different regional line agencies and private sector representatives. This  was  the  last  meeting of the present set of RDC IX officials and Private Sector Representatives prior to its reorganization in August this year.

            The meeting was presided over by the RDC IX Chairperson Maria Clara L. Lobregat of Zamboanga City and co-presided  by Atty. Arsenio L. Gonzalez, the RDC IX Co-Chairman. Director-General Dante B. Canlas of NEDA was also present being the guest of honor of the Testimonial Dinner and Awarding Ceremony in the evening of June 21, 2001. Visitors from the Royal Customs Office of Malaysia headed by Sr. Asst. Dir. Hj. M.D. Yusop Manjor from Kota Kinabalo, Malaysia, also graced the meeting to listen to a briefing on the Zamboanga Freeport Authority.

 

           After thorough discussion and deliberation on the proposed projects, the following resolutions were passed by the Council: a) Endorsing the Small Island Grid Interconnection Project (Cluster I); b) Endorsing the Upgrading of Essential Medical Equipment for Selected Government Hospitals in Region IX Proposed for Japanese Government’s Grant Aid Program; c) Endorsing the Establishment of Temporary Philippine Embassy Office in Sandakan, Malaysia; and d) Approving/confirming the RDC IX Awardees for CY 2000.

 

           Copies of the special edition of the RDC IX Communication, a quarterly publication of the Regional Development Council IX, were also being distributed to the members of the Council who were present during the meeting.   The said meeting was hosted by the Zamboanga Freeport Authority headed by its Chairman and Administrator Manuel A. Dalipe.

 

 

B. The RDC IX Inter-Sectoral Sports Festival

 

The RDC IX Inter-Sectoral Sports Festival which was held simultaneously with the 100th RDC IX meeting, was participated in by the four sectoral committees as separate teams under RDC IX. These are: a) the Agri-Industrial Development Committee; b) the Social Development Committee; c) the Development Administration Committee; and d) the Infrastructure Development Committee.

 

There were several game events that were conducted at the Zamboanga Freeport Authority grounds. These include: lawn and table tennis, dart, chess,  and volleyball which were played by the staff of the member agencies of the RDC IX, generally from the regional line agencies. This was initiated to foster camaraderie and sportsmanship among member-agencies of the RDC IX.

 

            The one-day sports fest was formally opened by RDC IX Chairperson Lobregat before the start of the 100th Regional Development Council meeting. 

 

           The awarding ceremony for the Inter-sectoral sports Fest was conducted during the RDC IX Testimonial Dinner and Awarding Ceremony in the evening of the same day.  

 

           The following were the winners of the different sporting events: Volleyball-INFRACOM - 1st place, AIDCOM - 2nd< place; Lawn tennis- AIDCOM - 1st place, DEVADCOM - 2nd place; Chess, AIDCOM - 1st place, INFRACOM - 2nd place; Table Tennis- INFRACOM - 1st place, DEVADCOM - 2nd place; and Dart- AIDCOM – 1st place, DEVADCOM – 2nd place.

 

           The over-all champion for this year’s Inter-Sectoral Sports Festival was the Agri-Industrial Development Committee, with the Infrastructure Development Committee as the runner-up.

 

 

C. The RDC IX Testimonial Dinner and Awarding Ceremony

 

     The RDC IX testimonial Dinner and Awarding Ceremony was held at the Executive Hall of the Garden Orchid Hotel in the Evening of June 21, 2001. This was intended to give recognition to the accomplishments of the past and present chairpersons of the Council whose efforts contributed to the improvement of lives of the people in the region and served  as  the  catalyst  for the implementation of programs/projects for regional development.

 

            For the past 27 years since its creation, the RDC IX has been striding to be proactive and dynamic in addressing regional concerns through its eight (8) chairpersons: Hon. Rear Admiral Romulo M. Espaldon (1974-1980); Hon. Ulbert Ulama Tugung (1980-1984 and 1986); Hon. Sali H. Wali (1984-1986); Hon. Elnorita P. Tugung (1986-1990); Hon. Isagani S. Amatong (1990-1992); Hon. Vitaliano D. Agan (1992-1995); Hon. Isidoro E. Real, Jr. (1995-1998); and Hon. Maria Clara L. Lobregat (1998-present).

  

           An audio-visual presentation was presented to summarize the accomplishments of the Regional Development Council - Western Mindanao during the term of each RDC IX chairperson.

 

           The night was also graced by the presence of the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority and the Secretary of the Socio-economic Planning, Dr. Dante B. Canlas who was the Keynote Speaker. He also presented Plaques of Recognition to each of the RDC IX Chairpersons in recognition for their meritorious leadership which guided the Regional Development Council IX to its present state.

 

           RDC IX Chairperson Maria Clara L. Lobregat also presented the Plaques of Appreciation to Private Sector Representatives of the Council in recognition to their active participation, support and dedication to the call for regional development. The following are the recipient of the plaques of appreciation: Rev. Fr. William H. Kruetz, PSR for Education; Mr. Myl Johann R. Amsid, PSR for Banking and Finance; Mr. Louie W. Alano, PSR for Peace and Security; Mr. Aniceto M. Casepe, PSR for Urban Poor; Mr. Sofronio Arcenal, PSR for Labor; Ms. Eliza G. Del Puerto, PSR for Gender; Mr. Eugenio Cabigas, PSR for Agri-Fisheries and Agrarian Reform; Rev. Fr. Enrico V. Montano, PSR for Environment and Indigenous People; and Ms. Evelyn T. Uy, PSR for Tourism.

 

           The different chairpersons of the RDC IX sectoral committees were also awarded the Plaques of Appreciation in recognition to their leadership as chair of the sectoral committees. They are: Dir. Nazrullah B. Manzur of DTI IX, chairman of the Agri-Industrial Development Committee; Dir. Antonio A. Sta. Elena of DPWH IX, chairman of the Infrastructure Development Committee; Dir. Parisya H. Taradji of DSWD IX, chairperson of the Social Development Committee; and Dir. Gerardo F. Concepcion, Jr. of DBM IX, chairman of the Development Administration Committee.

 

           Another significant event of the evening was the awarding of the RDC IX Awardees for CY 2000. For the very first time in more than two decades, the Regional Development Council IX through its Incentives and Awards Committee, gave recognition to people whose support and active participation contributed to regional development and whose acts and services for public service are worth emulating. Under the Incentives and Awards System of the RDC IX, three (3) types of RDC IX awards are given: the GAWAD RDC IX (the highest RDC IX award); the RDC IX Incentives Award; and the RDC IX Recognition Award.

 

           In its maiden implementation, the Regional Development Council IX awarded the RDC IX Incentives Award to Governor Isagani S. Amatong who was adjudged as an outstanding administrator in the area of local governance and as a consistent achiever in program/project implementation that had benefited the province of Zamboanga del Norte as well as the entire Region IX. Mr. Agustin T. Guido III, a Public Health Nurse of DECS Zamboanga Del Norte Division was this year’s recipient of the RDC IX Recognition Award in recognition for his innovative accomplishment on low-cost visual teaching aids for Public School Teachers to improve classroom instructions. The awardees were also given a cash prize of PhP 15, 0000.00 and PhP 5, 000.00, respectively. Both plaques and cash prize was given to the awardees by Chairperson Lobregat who was assisted by Vice-Chairman Rafael G. Evangelista, Jr.

                 

             In his keynote address, Sec. Dante B. Canlas remarked:

 

         “Through the years, the RDC IX has been an effective forum for tackling the social and economic concerns of the region in the short and long run. The RDC has responded well to all the challenges that confronted Western Mindanao.

          The RDC is properly structured to respond to good governance in this century. I salute Region IX especially for its continuing commitment to the attainment of lasting peace and development in Mindanao. RDC IX, I believe, can only keep up with the outstanding work that it had shown so far. With the talents and expertise of its officers and members, I believe, that Mindanao will be the land of the fulfilled province.” - Sec. Canlas

 

Click here to view Press Conference With Sec. Dante B. Canlas