JVR urged to sign dev’t board MOA

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Council has authorized Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to sign the memorandum of agreement on the creation of the Metro Cebu Development Coordination Board.

Councilor Socrates Fernandez, who is the chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, said the creation of MCDCB is a manifestation of the heightened desire of public and private stakeholders to lead and plan for a desired and collective future for Cebu.

De los Reyes has to sign the MOA so that all projects undertaken under the partnership with the MCDCB become ready for implementation.

If the MOA will be signed, the board will be tasked to formulate integrated development strategies, policies and standards concerning urban planning, transport management, pollution and solid waste management, flood control, health sanitation, public safety, infrastructure development and environmental management, among others.

The MCDCB is a consortium of the province of Cebu; 13 cities and municipalities located on the eastern side of Cebu island, including the cities of Carcar, Naga, Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Danao and municipalities of San Fernando, Minglanilla, Cordova, Consolacion, Liloan And Compostela; regional line agencies; and private and civil society organizations.

"To signify anew their commitment to strengthen the involvement of the members of MCDCB activities and endeavors, new and old members will sign a new memorandum of agreement," Fernandez said.

The resolution was also supported by the members of the committee, namely Councilor Antonio D. Bacaltos  Jr., Councilor  Doroteo S. Emit, Councilor Valeriano Ylanan, and Councilor Eduardo R. Gullas III.

The Metro Cebu Development and Coordination Board is a coordinating body for metro-wide planning and development created on April 1, 2011 through a Memorandum of Agreement signed y local government executives, heads of national government agencies, and leaders of the private-civil society sector. (FREEMAN)