THE Cebu provincial government and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the creation of an integrated development project in the newly created seventh congressional district.
It aims coordination among the towns under Cebu’s seventh district in coming up with programs that will benefit their jurisdictions.
Present during the signing of the MOU were Cebu Gov. Hilario P. Davide III, Vice Gov. Agnes A. Magpale, Rep. Peter John D. Calderon of the Seventh District of Cebu, Rafi Chairman and CEO Jon Ramon Aboitiz, and the mayors of the towns in the seventh district.
The seventh district is composed of the municipalities of Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Malabuyoc and Ginatilan.
Provincial Board members Christopher Baricuatro and Jerome Librando, ANG lawyer James Abadia, Rafi’s vice president for social development, also attended as witness.
Davide said that following the signing, Rafi will conduct a three-day synergy training to all local chief executives, allowing them to share common plans and issues.
He added that through these training sessions, local chiefs can come up with relevant solutions, and identify needed projects.
Rafi’s program intends to reduce the poverty level in the district by creating conditions for a balanced socioeconomic development through an integrated, participatory and result-based approach.
Magpale said the MOU also aims to give the seventh district all the needed support, especially that in the latest records, the district obtains the highest poverty incidence at 37 percent.
“Like the youngest member of our family, the seventh district needs our special care and
attention,” she said.
Cebu’s seventh legislative district was officially created in September 2015 under Republic Act 10684, with a combined population count of 200,092, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2010 census.
Calderon said the MOU works with a road map and integrated plan for a group of local government units in enforcing a development plan with an organized multistakeholder and an interlocal council for the district.
He added that this group will be chaired by the governor and cochaired by the congressman.
Through this council, he said, the governor will develop policies and other legislative measures to support the project’s goal of poverty reduction and district-wide integration.
Calderon will seek budgetary allocation and resources for district-wide identified strategic initiatives, and provide policy and legislative support in the congressional level, adding the agriculture and tourism sectors in the seventh district, are among the main economic drivers along with the beaches of Moalboal town, a popular diving destination.