Macau, China – The Regional Development Council-Western Visayas (Region 6) has identified key projects for the region during its first full council meeting, chaired by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez of Bacolod City. In a statement on Thursday, Benitez emphasized the council’s commitment to advancing the region through collaborative initiatives and a vision for a proactive and inclusive Western Visayas. The top 10 projects prioritized by RDC-6 include the Aklan cruise port hub, modernization of Guimaras parola ports, a heart, lung, and kidney center, shared service facilities for solid waste management, farm schools, a smart agriculture system, regional warehouses for disaster response and management, the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, the Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway, and Bacolod Coastal Road, Iloilo Circumferential Roads, among other vital road networks.
According to Philippines News Agency, the four-day council meeting and learning visits in Macau, described by Benitez as an ideal backdrop for discussing smart city initiatives, focused on the implementation of regional development priorities. Benitez stressed the council’s role in policy-making, investment programming, project implementation, and monitoring, underscoring its importance in nation-building. As RDC-6 chairperson, Benitez is responsible for submitting regional plans, investment programs, annual development reports, and other council-approved documents to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through the National Economic and Development Authority Board.