(Zamboanga City). Eleven of the fourteen RDC XI Private Sector Representatives (PSRs) participated in the 15th RDC-PSRs National Convention hosted by the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Development Council (RDC IX) on 23-25 April 2024 in Zamboanga City. Carrying the theme, ”GIVE for a stronger Philippines: Greening the Economy, Inspiring Innovation, Vitalizing Vibrant Spaces, and Ensuring Transformative Development through Private Sector-Government Collaboration”, the said Convention covered topics such as Financial Strategies for a Sustainable Future, Collaborative Governance for Greater Inclusivity, the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy, and Growth Transformation through Green/Livable Cities.

In the same venue, the RDC XI PSRs pushed for actionable recommendations such as: promoting ease of doing business, particularly among micro, small, and medium enterprises; expediting countryside electrification, especially in the ancestral domains of indigenous people communities; and, prompting the full adoption of Universal Design in all government infrastructure projects. These recommendations which were carried as Resolutions of the said RDC-PSRs National Convention shall be forwarded to the RDCs all over the country, for their support, and to the concerned government agencies, for their immediate action.

The annual RDC-PSRs National Convention serves as a convergence platform of PSRs from the RDCs of all Regions outside Metro Manila, where they discuss key regional development concerns and exchange views on further strengthening the private sector’s partnership with government towards accelerated and sustainable regional development. The annual Convention likewise allows the PSRs to participate in learning visits to key industries across regions, with the hosting and venue of the Convention being rotated among the RDCs. The next RDC-PSRs National Convention in 2025 shall be hosted by the CALABARZON RDC (RDC IV-A), while the RDC XI has been selected to host the annual Convention in 2026.