Cebu City, Philippines—Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia declined her nomination as chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) during their 3rd quarter Full Council Meeting at the Mezzo Hotel here on Friday morning, September 20, 2019.
Garcia said that she declines to be nominated because she wants to focus on her duties as governor of the province of Cebu.
“You know, right now, I really feel that I have to give my full attention to the many concerns that I have to deal with in so far as the province of Cebu is concern,” Garcia said.
Garcia was nominated by Bohol Governor Arthur Yap.
Garcia said that she wants to give her full attention and effort to the province of Cebu because, according to her, its premium status had sunk to a very low level.
“[I need to give my] effort to pushing Cebu back to what it is rightfully or what should be for the Cebuanos in going back to being number one,” she added.
Garcia added that she wanted to give others a chance to lead the RDC since she already had been in that position in the past. She has even served as chairman in the Visayas Regional Development Committee (RDCom), which comprises of RDC-6, RDC-7 and RDC-8.
Meanwhile, Yap was also nominated by Garcia for the chairmanship.
Aside from Yap, Kenneth Cobonpue, the present RDC-7 chairman, was also again nominated for the position by Edward Du, a private sector representative from Dumaguete City.
Under the RDC-7 rules and regulation, the council can nominate two representatives each from the public and private sector.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) will submit their names to President Rodrigo Duterte, who will then select from the shortlist a chairman and co-chairman of the RDC.
Cobonpue, for his part, said that he was glad to be nominated again for the position.
“I’m very glad to be of service again to the region so that we could continue the plans that we’ve started. I think I’m fortunate enough to have the ear of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas. So we bring our issues straight to him or to the concerned agencies,” Cobonpue said.
He added that if he will be appointed again for the post, he would focus in finding solutions on issues concerning traffic, water-shortage, garbage, and flooding. /bmjo