The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Eastern Visayas has formed an Environment Committee in the bid to integrate environmental sustainability and climate resilience at the core of the region’s development agenda.

Department of Economy, Planning and Development Regional Director Meylene Rosales, acting RDC chairperson, said in an interview on Tuesday that the establishment of the committee creates an inclusive and multi-sectoral approach to environmental governance.

Created under Executive Order No. 82 and RDC Eastern Visayas Resolution No. 54, the new committee is composed of members from national government agencies, local government units, and the private sector.

“With the formal constitution of the Environment Committee under EO 82, we are not just creating another body within the RDC —we are affirming our shared commitment to place the environment, natural resources, and climate action at the heart of Eastern Visayas’ development journey. It would be a ‘mortal sin’ if we proceed with progress at the expense of our environment,” Rosales said.

The committee, Rosales said, will review and monitor the implementation of regional development plans, policies, and programs concerning environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

The Environment Committee will serve as a platform for advancing ecosystem protection and restoration, natural capital accounting and management, climate action and sustainability, circular economy initiatives, intergenerational responsibility, and sanitation.

It is also tasked to review and endorse environment-related programs, activities, and projects; integrate local environmental plans into the regional framework and translate national policies into actionable regional strategies. (PNA)