Tacloban city: The Regional Development Council (RDC) has identified the top 30 priority projects in Eastern Visayas with a combined cost of PHP15.8 billion for consideration in the national government's budget prioritization process.
According to Philippines News Agency, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Meylene Rosales, who also serves as RDC vice chairperson, stated that these projects will be presented during the 4th Regional-National Investment Programming Dialogue in Manila on September 24. 'Before coming up with the list, participating regional and national offices held dialogues to identify priority projects. We have other priorities, but these 30 projects are endorsed for consideration by the respective central offices,' Rosales said in an interview Tuesday.
Of the PHP15.8 billion in identified funding requirements, the RDC is seeking a PHP7.94-billion budget allocation starting in 2028. "The proposed priority projects underwent validation, assessment, and ranking based on strategic alignment, implementation readiness, and investment requirements. The RDC Eastern Visayas sectoral committees reviewed and endorsed the proposals prior to their consideration by the full council," Rosales explained.
The top 10 projects include the Blue Economy Reinvigoration in the Visayas, Expanded Abaca Development Project, Cancer Care Center Operationalization Project, construction of a flood mitigation and drainage system in Catbalogan City, Department of Health Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Dulag, Leyte, and the Samar Island Medical Center four-story Main Building Operationalization Project.
Also in the top 10 are the expansion of the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center in Palo, Leyte, mapping of foreshore areas, Circular Economy Innovation Hub aimed at converting polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste into 3D-printing filaments, and the Kalinayan Rice Products Enterprise Development and Market Integration project.
Other projects endorsed for consideration include the construction of Department of Social Welfare and Development satellite warehouses in Catarman, Northern Samar, and Baybay City, Project ANDAM (Abtik Ngan Dagmit nga Aksyon para ha Molupyo), establishment of the Eastern Visayas AI Center for Building Readiness in Artificial Intelligence, and construction of a satellite laboratory-cum-office building by the Environmental Management Bureau in Catbalogan City.
The list also includes the modernization of the Integrated Research Network through Technological and Innovative Advancement for Sustainable Growth and Development of the agriculture sector in Eastern Visayas, construction of the Samar Island Natural Park Protected Area Management Office, construction of a new and complete female dormitory at the Ormoc City Jail, and construction of a standard Northern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company.
Airport development projects in Borongan City, Biliran, and Guiuan, Eastern Samar, as well as irrigation projects in Pambujan and the Bayog Valley in Laoang, Northern Samar; Llorente-Balangkayan in Eastern Samar; and the Nahilugan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project were also approved for funding consideration.
Rounding out the top 30 are the construction of fish port projects in Macrohon and Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, the Eastern Visayas Science Centrum, the DSWD Training Center, and the Bontoc Fire Station in Southern Leyte.
"The process of selection by national and regional line agencies started three years ago after we noticed that even projects endorsed by the RDC were not being funded," Rosales stated. She assured that the identified projects have implementation-ready documents to help ensure their timely completion within the prescribed period.
