SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) — Western Visayas displayed promising progress in 2023, according to the Western Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC-6).
Delivering the State of the Region Address (SORA), RDC-6 co-chairperson lawyer Jobert A. Peñaflorida highlighted the region’s economic, social, and infrastructure milestones in the past year.
Peñaflorida said that Region 6 remains a vital economic hub, surpassing the one trillion-peso mark in regional economic output and recording a 7.2 percent growth rate, which is higher than the country’s 5.5 percent growth.
The region’s strong economic performance is attributable to the service sector valued at P642 billion, followed by the industry sector contributing P221 billion, and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors worth P161 billion.
However, despite this growth, the RDC recorded a steady decline in agricultural output due to the challenges brought by the El Niño phenomenon, African Swine Fever (ASF), fluctuating farm input, and the need for modernization, among others.
“Agricultural growth continued to decelerate despite Western Visayas ranking third in palay production, first in sugarcane production, and sixth in corn production among regions in the country,” Peñaflorida said.
He stressed the need for stronger interventions from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies to adequately address the challenges faced by farmers.
Talking about social development, the official reiterated that the well-being of the people continues to be the top priority of the RDC.
“Just recently, the 2023 poverty estimates released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed signs of inclusive government efforts that reduced the poor population in the region,” he said.
More qualified beneficiaries benefited from the expanded poverty reduction programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), such as livelihood programs, social pensions, and supplemental feeding programs.
Additionally, Peñaflorida conveyed the RDC’s commitment to establishing critical infrastructure intended to boost economic growth and ensure regional connectivity.
Some of the ongoing big-ticket projects are the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) Phase II, which is expected to improve rice production and widen irrigation service areas; the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Inter-Island Link Bridge that is now in its detailed engineering stage; and the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project eyed to address the flooding problem of Capiz, generate 18.42 megawatts of hydroelectric power, and produce three cubic meters of water per second.
With these accomplishments in the economic, social, and infrastructure sectors, Peñaflorida said 2023 “was a good year” for Region 6, and the RDC intends to continue this positive momentum in the years ahead.
In achieving the region’s development agenda that will pave the way for a more progressive and inclusive Western Visayas, the official pointed out the importance of synergistic efforts and strong collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, the academe, and civil society organizations (CSOs).
“Let us continue working together to build a stronger foundation for a better future – a matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay for all,” he said. (AGP/BPS/PIA Antique)
