NEDA rolls out new Philippines development plan

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang has ordered the implementation of the new medium term development plan that aims to transform the country into an upper-middle income economy by 2022 through rapid poverty reduction in rural areas.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Monday night—by authority of the President—Executive Order 27 that orders all government agencies and local government units to align their respective programs and budgets with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and Public Investment Program (PIP) for 2017-2022.

The new PDP is the first medium term development plan to be aligned with a long-term vision- contained in Ambisyon Natin 2040 —of attaining inclusive economic growth in the country and eventually transforming the Philippines into a knowledge economy through increased innovation.

“There is a need to identify the priority programs and projects that will be carried out by agencies for the period 2017-2022 in support of the PDP and which will be embodied in the Public Investment Program 2017-2022,” the order said.

The President ordered all government agencies, even those that do not receive support from the General Appropriations Act, to adopt the strategies under the PDP.

“All heads of departments, offices and instrumentalities of the national government, including GOCCs are hereby directed to align their budgetary and departmental/corporate programs with the strategies and activities identified in the PDP 2017-2022,” the order said.

The PIP shall contain the priority programs and projects to be implemented by the national government based on the submissions of government agencies and GOCCs. Formulation of the PIP 2017-2022 is slated for completion in July.

The PDP has 21 chapters containing strategies for laying down the foundation for inclusive growth, a high trust society and a globally competitive economy.

By 2022, the Philippines is envisioned to become an upper-middle income economy growing seven to eight percent annually.

Overall poverty rate is targeted to decline from 21.6 percent in 2015 to 14 percent by 2022. Poverty incidence in rural areas is targeted to decrease from 30 percent in 2015 to 20 percent in 2022.

The government wants to cut down unemployment from 5.5 percent in 2016 to 3.5 percent by 2022.

In line with the government’s poverty reduction, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia stressed the importance of controlling the rapid growth of the country’s population.

NEDA, he said, had reached out to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to re-certify as non-abortifacients the  contraceptives distributed in the country. The Supreme Court late last month said it is not lifting the  two-year temporary restraining order on the distribution of contraceptives until the FDA re-certifies that these are safe.

Pernia said NEDA is urging the FDA to immediately re-rectify contraceptives as safe after the conduct of consultation with concerned civil society groups.

“We have to manage our population growth. Recently the Supreme Court said all you have to do is make the FDA certify that the contraceptives available are not abortifacient. So they just have to certify that for the nth time,” he said.

FDA, he said, is expected to hold public meetings for the re-certification of contraceptives within the month as part of the due process.

“Any appeal from the petitioners shall be made to the President only,” he said.

NEDA also said the strategies contained in the PDP will be highly localized in line with the thrust to spur growth in rural areas.

“With respect to regional development planning, our regional plans are also anchored on the Ambisyon Nation 2040,” said NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development Adoracion Navarro. “Everything is well-documented so we will have a basis for sustaining the achievements and continuing the activities until the next development plan.”