The RSDC’s new Chairperson is DSWD Director Porfiria Bernardez, who is replacing DOH Director Myrna Cabotaje; reelected as Co-Chairperson was Ms. Marietta Paragas of CORDNET; Vice-Chairperson is DepED Director Josefina Tamondong, replacing NEDA Director Juan B. Ngalob.  Secom Secretary is Dir. Harold Kub-aron of the Commission on Human Rights, who replaced POPCOM Director Aurora Quiray.

CIPC Chairman is still NCIP Director Amador Batay-an; Co-Chairman is DENR RED Clarence L. Baguilat who replaces BSU President Rogelio Colting; and Vice-Chairman is Dr. Peter Cosalan, replacing NEDA Director Juan B. Ngalob. Selected as Secom Secretary are NEDA (technical concerns) and NCIP (admin concerns). 

The Infra, Dev Ad and Economic Development Sectoral Committees are scheduled to meet early September for their reorganization.

A forum to discuss and address critical issues affecting the Nursing profession in the Cordillera Region and the country as a whole was conducted on August 19 and 20, 2010,  at the RDC Hall, NEDA-CAR, Baguio City. 

The Education and Manpower Development Stakeholders' Forum is the first collaborative effort at the regional level between the public and private stakeholders of the Nursing industry. It was spearheaded by the Cordillera Professional Regulation Commission, Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Nurses Association, the Association of Dean of Philippine Colleges of Nursing, and the Education and Manpower Subcommittee of the RDC Regional Social Development Committee.  The Regional Development Council, in accordance with RDC ExCom Resolution No. CAR -57, series of 2010, provided the venue and needed technical support.

During the RDC EnBanc meeting held on August 12, 2010, nominated from the government sector were Hon. Jocel Baac, Governor of Kalinga, and Hon. Mauricio Domogan, Mayor of Baguio City.  From the private sector were Ms. Marietta Paragas and Dr. Virgilio Bautista.  Ms. Paragas is presently the President of the Cordillera Network of Development Non-Government Organizations and People’s Organizations,  Inc. or CORDNET. Dr. Bautista, on the other hand, is the President of the Rotary Club Baguio Summer Capital Chapter.

The list of nominees were submitted by the RDC, through its Acting Chairman and NEDA-CAR Director Juan B. Ngalob, to the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning, who shall endorse it to the President of the Philippines. P-Noy shall then choose from among the four nominees the region’s RDC Chairman and Co-Chairman.

Prior to this, the RDC Private Sector Selection Forum was conducted on August 11.  Selected as PSR Geographic Representatives were Ms. Pura Sumangil of the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government (Abra), Mr. Ferdinand Gonzales of the People’s Organization for Social Transformation (Apayao), Mr. Jerry Lab-oyan (Benguet), Ms. Nenita Fontanilla of the Ifugao Network of Development NGOs and POs (Ifugao), Mr. Andres Ngao-I of the Kalinga Bodong Association (Kalinga), Ms. Madalang of Ebgan, Inc. (Mountain Province), and Dr. Virgilio Bautista (Baguio City).

For the Sectoral Representatives, elected to represent the Social Sector were Ms. Marietta Paragas and Ms. Marlene de Castro of the Baguio Center for Young Adults; Engr. Antonio Caluza of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers for the Infrastructure Sector; Mr. John Bugaling of the Agriculture and Fishery Council Foundation of the Philippines – CAR Chapter for the Economic Sector; and Dr. Peter Cosalan of the Green-Initiated NGO, Inc. for the Indigenous Peoples Sector.

Barely three days in his new role as the head of Department of the Interior and Local Government, Secretary Jesse M. Robredo visited the Cordillera Region on July 15, 2010, and joined the Cordillerans as they celebrated their region’s 23rd Foundation Day.

In his speech as the guest honor of the affair, Secretary Robredo congratulated the RDC “in putting real meaning on what the Cordillera Administrative Region is all about”. He said that during his years with the Bicol Regional Development Council, he cannot recall an occasion wherein the elected governors and congressmen, together with the heads of national government agencies, were “together in just one ceremony and one in just one celebration”.

By reminding everyone not to forget the small things when aspiring for the bigger things, he challenged and advised the Cordillerans as they continue with their renewed pursuit of autonomy to “Start with one and end with many”.