Albay Governor and new RDC Chair Jose Ma. Sarte Salceda has vowed to pursue what he termed as the “Bicolano Dream for Development” using his clout and experience as an economist and former three-term congressman.
Governor Salceda whose appointment as new chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) for Bicol was announced by President Arroyo during her visit here in Camarines Sur on November 28 said his development platform will conform with the NEDA plan.
Gov. Salceda was a former chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives and Presidential Chief of Staff. He was chosen by President Arroyo over Governor L-Ray Villafuerte who was RDC chairman from 2004 until the surprise announcement right at the Camarines Sur Capitol.
Priority pipeline programs and projects for the region include among others: the setting up of a regional spatial integration of projects that would link mainland Bicol with the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate as a means of improving trade and commerce.
Salceda pointed out that infrastructure facilities such as roads, bridges and RORO facilities are vital structures to attain this spatial integration.
He cited the improvement of the Quirino-Andaya highway and the development of the Bicol West Coast road network.
Agricultural productivity would also be given attention with the development and improvement of irrigation facilities, farm-to-market roads, provision of farm inputs to farmers and teaching farmers the right farming practices.
For environmental projects, aside from environment protection Salceda said he would push for the setting up of a Green Bicol program and draw a local-based standard for mining operations.
He will also pursue his Climate Change adaptation program by developing a sustained agro-forestry, mangrove and coastal management resource management.
For energy development, activities would focus on the development and expansion of Tiwi and Bacon-Manito geothermal resources, hydro development, improve electric distribution and rehabilitation of the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) which is on the brink of collapse.
For Agrarian Reform projects, he will review the assets reform project of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) through the condonation of agrarian liabilities and the improvement of the Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC).
For Disaster Risk Management, projects to be pursued are: the BRBDP flood control project, hazard warning, and the review of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan interlinking various provincial and municipal land use plans.
Salceda envisions to convert the Bicol University into a level similar to the University of the Philippines (UP).
President Arroyo during her visit also tasked Salceda to monitor the school building rehabilitation and construction under the Bicol Calamity Assistance and Rehebilitation Efforts (B-CARE) as the chief executive expressed dismay over the slow paced implementation of the public school building rehabilitation project after typhoon Reming wreaked havoc in Bicol latelast year.
