Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado on Monday, Nov. 21, was sworn in as the new chairman of the Regional Development Council-Central Visayas (RDC-7).
Aumentado was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to head the RDC-7, replacing renowned industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue.
Cobonpue was named as Aumentado's co-chairman.
Aumentado took his oath before Regional Trial Court Judge Jennifer Echavez Marcos at the Bohol Provincial Capitol in Tagbilaran City.
"As a Boholano, I take pride that I was chosen as RDC-7 chairman. My late father also served as RDC-7 chairman," Aumentado said in a media briefing after the oath-taking.
As RDC-7 chairman, Aumentado said all proposed projects will be given fair treatment. "Our priority projects are tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure," Aumentado said.
Aumentado said he does not intend to change the proposed infrastructure projects even if most of them are for Metro Cebu.
Among the major projects being proposed by RDC-7 are the New Cebu International Container Port, new Dumaguete City Airport, Bantayan Airport, Siquijor Cang-alwang Airport, Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, Metro Cebu Circumferential Road, and Metro Cebu Flood Control Project.
"We will just submit our own proposal for our province. I'll make it clear that our support for all provinces in Central Visayas is equal," he said.
The endorsed infrastructure projects for Bohol are the Panglao-Tagbilaran City Offshore Bridge Connector and the Malinao Dam improvement.
Aumentado said that being a former congressman is an advantage for him as RDC-7 chairman.
He said that as a former legislator, he will be able to lobby for funding of these RDC-endorsed projects in the Executive branch.
"Speaker Martin Romualdez is our friend as well as Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. Including the President, he is our close ally and it would be of great help," the governor said.
Projects for a specific region are proposed and planned for funding from the national government through the RDC.