Eastern Visayas unveiled on Wednesday the 2023-2028 Regional Development Plan (RDP) soliciting support from various sectors to achieve the goal that would improve the local economy.

Anchored on the theme “Mabulig Ako!” (I will help), Regional Development Council Chair and Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez said the plan is the result of extensive consultation and engagement from different sectors.

“We celebrate both the vision and echoing action and capsulated on the theme ‘Mabulig ako!’ This theme is significant as it calls to action not just the government agencies but for everyone in Eastern Visayas,” Gomez said as she addressed the council and members of different sectors at the Summit Hotel here.

Meylene Rosales, RDC vice chairperson and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) regional director, said the unveiling of the 405-page document is the beginning of the region’s journey to achieve the vision for “a resilient and prosperous Eastern Visayas where people enjoy equitable opportunities for sustainable human development.”

“This unveiling marks the continuation of that journey. The success of the RDP depends on the collaboration of national government agencies, local government units, the private sector, civil society organizations, and every citizen of the region,” Rosales said.

Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, NEDA Undersecretary for regional development, said the implementation of the plan “will not be easy with economic challenges, such as inflationary pressures, high energy cost, animal diseases, climate change, and lasting impact of pandemic.”

“But despite challenges, we can take pride in our promising Gross Domestic Product growth performance of 7.6 percent last year. Eastern Visayas’ economy expanded to 6.8 percent, surpassing the pre-pandemic level,” Santos added.

By the end of 2028, Eastern Visayas aims to elevate economic growth by at least 7.5 percent, decrease joblessness to 5 percent, reduce poverty incidence to 16.7 percent of the population, and keep food and headline inflation rates low and stable between 2 to 4 percent.

In 2022, the unemployment rate in the region is at 6.6 percent while poverty incidence was at 28.9 percent. In the same year, the headline inflation rate was at 6.6 percent.

The RDP will focus on intensifying the competitiveness of the services; enhancing the sector’s productive and innovative capacity; and promoting the creative and gig economy, keeping in mind the upgrading of the services workforce and the advancement of the services sector.

The region has the potential to further drive economic growth and reduce poverty through agriculture and fisheries, manufacturing, and tourism, according to NEDA.

Among the region’s priority commodities are coconut, abaca, high-value commodity crops, livestock and poultry commodities, and fisheries products.
Other potential industries that can serve as employment generators and help propel further the region’s development are copper, processed marine products, processed fruits, abaca, natural health products, wearable art, other agribusinesses and digital services.

Eastern Visayas lies in the mid-eastern part of the Philippines. Due to this location, it connects the north and south of the country. The region is composed of six provinces — Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte. (PNA)