By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The Regional Development Council-Western Visayas (RDC-6) identified 10 Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFP) for the region during its fourth-quarter council meeting in Macau, China, on Wednesday, December 6.
The top 10 IFPs to be pushed by the council in 2024 include the Aklan Cruise Port Hub, the Modernization of Guimaras Parola Ports; Heart, Lung, and Kidney Center; and Shared Service Facilities (SSF) for Solid Waste Management of DTI’s SSF Program.
Also included in the list are the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway (ICAEX), SMART Agriculture System, Farm Schools, Regional Warehouses for Disaster Response and Management, and Bacolod Coastal Road, Iloilo Circumferential Roads, and other Vital or strategic Road Networks.
ICAEX and the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project are currently undergoing project preparation. These two projects were also listed as key projects in the Western Visayas Regional Development Plan (WVRDP) 2023-2028
ICAEX, expected to stretch from Leganes, Iloilo, to Malay, Aklan, is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s priority projects in 2022.
The National Economic Development Authority-6 (NEDA-6) previously confirmed that the Department of Public Works and Highways central office is currently conducting a feasibility study for the expressway.
“We delved into the initiatives and plans aimed at propelling our region forward — highlighting the spirit of shared responsibility and fostering a vision for a more inclusive and proactive Western Visayas,” RDC-6 chairperson and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo “Albie” B. Benitez said in a statement.
In a report from NEDA-6, Benitez also underscored the role of the council going beyond policy-making and also includes investment programming, project implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
Iloilo Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr., also expressed support for the chairperson’s call, saying, “We will pursue tangible results from the RDC 6 meeting through the 2024 budget with the help of government agencies and our legislators.”
Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores remarked that the realization of these projects hinges on collaborative efforts, emphasizing the need for all provinces to work together as “One Region VI.”
This meeting marked the first full council meeting of the RDC-6 conducted outside of the country. The four-day council meeting also includes learning visits in China’s special administrative region until Friday.
