KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato–Hon. Emmylou J. Taliño-Mendoza, Chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC) XII and Governor of Cotabato Province, led the participants from SOCCSKSARGEN Region during the conduct of the Regional-National Investment Programming (RNIP) Dialogue on August 17-18, 2023 at the Seda Manila Bay Hotel, Parañaque City, Metro Manila. The RNIP Dialogue was facilitated by NEDA Public Investment Staff (PIS) and participated by different representatives from RDCs and NEDA Regional Offices (NROs) all over the country.

The activity aimed to facilitate the linkage of the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) with the Public Investment Program (PIP) 2023-2028 by aligning regional priorities with national and sectoral priorities. Also, Agency Central Offices (ACOs) and the RDCs were expected to harmonize their sectoral and regional development targets and corresponding timelines over the PIP-RDIP period.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) was one of the 12 pilot agencies which participated in the Dialogue together with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Education (DepED), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT). The ACOs presented the priority and endorsed PAPs of the RDCs for inclusion in their respective PIP during the plenary sessions which was followed by feedbacking or clarifications from the RDCs/NROs during the breakout sessions.

Among the priority projects presented by DOTr for inclusion in their PIP are the General Santos International Airport Development Project, Central Mindanao Airport Development Project, and development projects for the Port of General Santos (including the Port of Glan) and the Port of Kalamansig. These PAPs are among the priority projects of the Infrastructure Sector which were submitted by RDC XII for inclusion in the Top 30 projects of RDC XII for the RNIP Dialogue. DOTr accepted the proposed projects to be included in their FY 2025 PIP.

In his closing message, Undersecretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos of the NEDA Regional Development Group (RDG) emphasized the need to harmonize the ARO targets with ACO targets. He also reminded the ACOs to validate other proposed projects of RDCs not included in the Top 30 projects initially submitted by RDCs and to provide policy context for certain projects such as: a) the establishment of agency presence in the region for DOTr; b) establishment of Public Safety Offices (Police and Fire Stations); and c) expand the list of 30 priority PAPs for future RNIP Dialogues. (ARPB/NRO XII/PDIPBD)