TUGUEGARAO CITY – The Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2017-2022 for Cagayan Valley (Region 2) was launched last Wednesday, highlighting strategies on environment, agriculture, and tourism.
This is in line with the region’s long term vision of being a prime water resource, an agro-industrial hub, and an emerging tourism destination.
RDPs are the regions’ medium-term blueprints for socioeconomic development, patterned after the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022.
In view of making the region a prime water resource, the region’s development council will be crafting a Master Plan as part of the RDP for the Cagayan River Basin, 68 percent of which is covered by Region 2.
The Master Plan will also involve developing renewable energy resources, protecting existing forests, rehabilitating degraded forests and watersheds, and developing a river system for alternative modes of transport.
The RDP also proposes strategies meant to improve the region’s agriculture sector, which recorded a -0.4 percent growth rate in 2016.
These include integrating disaster risk and reduction and climate change adaptation in local plans, improving the productivity of the Agriculture-Fisheries-Forestry (AFF) sector, increasing AFF-based enterprises, and making financing more inclusive among farmers.
The region will also concentrate on irrigation, flood control, and farm-to-market road projects for the next five years.
Meanwhile, the RDP identifies strategies to explore and develop ecotourism sites in the region to help the local economy while ensuring the protection of natural resources.
Programs will focus on expanding areas for ecotourism development and promotion, increasing local and foreign investments, and improving productivity of local enterprises.
During the launch, NEDA Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rosemarie G. Edillon emphasized the crucial role of local government units in implementing and laying down the foundation for the RDP.
“Now that we have a vision for the region, and that we have completed the Regional Development Plan, it is time to take action. We are counting on the local government units to help us achieve inclusive growth, a resilient society, and a globally-competitive knowledge economy. Aksyon na tayo ngayon!” Edillon said.
The Cagayan Valley region covers the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.
Other regional roadshows are slated until August, including Central Visayas (July 31) and CARAGA (August 1).
These come after the launch of the PDP last June 2 in an event titled, “Aksyon para sa AmBisyon: The Philippine Development Plan Expo.” | NEDA-PR
