The Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC) VI approved the updated Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF) that will be integrated as Chapter 2 of the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028.
The RSDF was presented to the committee during its Second Semester Regular Meeting on November 24, 2022, at the Jalaur Conference Room, NEDA Regional Office VI, Iloilo City.
“The framework will continue to use the core strategies of concentration, connectivity, and vulnerability reduction. However, the way these strategies will be carried out will be in sync with the new Regional Development Plan and the Philippine Development Plan,” said Engr. Arecio A. Casing, Jr, NEDA Regional Office VI OIC-Regional Director and RLUC VI Chairperson.
Subsequently, the committee issued RLUC VI Memorandum No. 2022-02-03 “Approving the Regional Spatial Development Strategy 2023-2028 and Endorsing it to the Regional Development Council VI for Inclusion in the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028.” The memorandum will be tackled during the RDC Full Council meeting on December 13, 2022.
Engr. Ray Adrian C. Macalalag, Senior Economic Development Specialist of the Policy Formulation and Planning Division in NEDA Regional Office VI, discussed the updated RSDF and highlighted its alignment with the long-term Visayas Spatial Development Framework 2015-2045.
The RSDF is anchored on the National Spatial Strategy and aims to incorporate principles of spatial planning in the formulation of development plans and identification of specific regionwide programs and projects.
Over the next six years, the framework will dictate the region’s direction towards rationalizing the development of settlements towards a sustainable economy, improving linkages to domestic and global economy, and enhancing resiliency and disaster preparedness.
Key infrastructure projects were identified to support the attainment of the strategy outcomes. These include the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project, Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project, Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway, Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economy Highway Extension, and Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges.
The discussion also focused on the Collaborate-Cooperate-Coordinate or the 3Cs Model that will guide RLUC VI members in ensuring the implementation of the RSDF strategies within their respective mandates.
