GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/30 July) — President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes as chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Region 12.
Fuentes said Wednesday her appointment was in response to a resolution passed by the RPOC last April that sought for the immediate designation of a permanent council chair from among the region’s chief executives.
Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
She said the Office of the President issued her appointment as RPOC chair last May 19 but was officially endorsed recently by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In his letter to the governor, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas noted that Fuentes’ role as RPOC chairperson “is very significant in the light of DILG’s and the Philippine National Police’s efforts to keep the streets of Soccsksargen free from crimes and lawlessness.”
“Ensuring peace and order and public safety is a common goal that we share, and we look forward to a fruitful and productive partnership with you as we continue to keep the communities of Soccsksargen safe and sound,” he added.
In its resolution, the RPOC-12 had endorsed to the DILG chief the names of the region’s four governors and mayors of its five cities as nominees for the council’s top seat.
The resolution stressed the urgency of the request noting that the council has no permanent chairperson for more than a year already.
Reynaldo Bungubung, DILG Region 12 director, said that prior to Fuentes’ appointment, the RPOC-12 was the only regional council in the country that has not been designated with a permanent chairperson.
The national government has also yet to appoint a permanent chairperson for the Regional Development Council of Region 12. (MindaNews)