THE House of Representatives has approved on the third and final reading a bill that seeks to establish the Eastern Visayas Development Authority (EVDA) tasked to promote, coordinate, and facilitate the active and extensive participation of all sectors in the socioeconomic development of Eastern Visayas.

Voting 255 against three, the chamber approved House Bill (HB) No. 6511, which covers all the provinces of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte,

Biliran and Southern Leyte, the independent City of Ormoc and the highly urbanized City of Tacloban, with the main office in Tacloban.

The bill’s authors were Speaker Martin G. Romualdez and Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, Jude A. Acidre, Harris Christopher M. Ongchuan, Edwin L. Olivarez, Elizaldy S. Co, Wilter Y. Palma, Ramon Jolo Revilla III, Princess Rihan M. Sakaluran, Ralph G. Recto, Carl Nicolas C. Cari, Antonio “Tonypet” T. Albano, Wilton “Tonton” T. Kho, Joseph “Jojo” L. Lara, Steve Chiongbian Solon, Bonifacio L. Bosita, Irwin C. Tieng, Jefferson F. Khonghun, Robert Raymund M. Estrella, Joey Sarte Salceda, Wilbert T. Lee, Albert S. Garcia, Maria Angela S. Garcia, Jernie Jett V. Nisay, Felimon M. Espares, Christopherson “Coco” M. Yap, Christian Tell A. Yap, Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, Divina Grace C. Yu, and Jeyzel Victoria C. Yu.

“It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote and accelerate the sound and balanced industrial, economic, and social growth of Eastern Visayas and ensure its speedy rehabilitation in the aftermath of typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) by increasing trade, tourism, and investments, encouraging private enterprise, and advancing efforts towards progress and development within the context of national plans and policies in order to provide jobs to the people, especially those in rural areas, increase their productivity and their individual and family incomes, and thereby improve the quality of their living conditions,” the bill’s declaration of policy notes.

“Towards this end, an effective institutional mechanism shall be established in order to address the need for a coordinated and integrated approach in the formulation and implementation of plans, programs, and projects geared towards economic growth and development in the Eastern Visayas region, including the establishment, among others, of special economic zones,” it added.

Among the purposes of EVDA is to promote the development of Eastern Visayas by initiating development and business projects of corporate, economic nature whether in agriculture, power, infrastructure, energy, public utilities, land development, manufacturing, exploration or utilization of natural resources, and other fields or projects; and to integrate government and private sector efforts and resources in the pursuit of sustainable development and balanced growth of Eastern Visayas, as proposed in the post-Haiyan (typhoon Yolanda) rehabilitation plan and other relevant development plans, programs and projects.

The EVDA shall also facilitate investments in any field as would enhance the economic development of the region; and provide a model for the full implementation of a comprehensive regional industrialization and agricultural modernization policy.

The bill also mandates the creation of the EVDA Board of Directors, composed of a chairperson to be appointed by the President of the Philippines, the Chairperson of the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council, a member of the Senate and the House, the Regional President of the League of Municipalities-Eastern Visayas Chapter, and one representative each from the business, academic and non-government sector.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco