BAGUIO CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) endorsed the budgets of the 6 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and 17 Regional Line Agencies (RLAs) in the Cordillera during the first quarter joint RDC and Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) meeting in Bontoc, Mountain Province on March 19. The Regional Development Budget Coordinating Committee (RDBCC) chair and DBM-CAR Regional Director Irene Gahid presented the consolidated 2020 budget proposals.

RDC-Private Sector Representatives (PSR) for social development, Emerita Fuerte, noted the need to include regional autonomy advocacy programs in the annual budget and work plans of SUCs and RLAs. Regional autonomy is the central theme of regional development as emphasized in the Cordillera Regional Development Plan (RDP 2017-2022).

Fuerte also urged the various line agencies and state universities and colleges to actively include PSRs and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in their respective budget consultations.

Earlier, the RDBCC held a Budget Forum in Baguio City where the 6 SUCs and 17 RLAs presented their budgets. The RDC through the RDBCC and, NEDA as the secretariat, are drafting the resolutions endorsing to agency central offices said 2020 budgets proposals.