NEDA-8 seeks media support for AmBisyon 2040

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — With 23 years more to its target, officials of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) appealed for help from local media to drumbeat the country's long-term development vision called "AmBisyon Natin 2040."

The program encourages all citizens, of working age, to work doubletime to achieve a monthly per capita income of P150,000 and go above the poverty threshold.

In a year-ender press conference, NEDA-8 Regional Director Bonifacio Uy recognized the power and contribution of the media in regional development, thus he re-appointed Louie Quebec of MBC-DyVL radio, as media representative to the Regional Development Council.

Uy also announced that, during RDC’s 4th quarter meeting in 2017, the special membership of the Philippine Information Agency-8 to the RDC was approved. "Media shapes the mindset of the people. We need your support to convey the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and AmBisyon Natin 2040," he said.

NEDA deems AmBisyon 2040 as its first 25-year long-term development plan formulated in the country's history, working under the principle of continuity from one administration to another. PDPs usually cover only the 6-year term of the elected president of the Philippines. "This is the first time we have a long-term development vision to address the issue on 'new administration, new development plan'," Uy explained.

President Rodrigo Duterte, on October 11, 2016, issued Executive Order 5, approving and adopting AmBisyon Natin 2040 as the national long-term guide for development planning until 2040.

Jam Colas, chief of NEDA-8 Development Research Division, admitted that 6-year development plans do not work very effectively prompting the agency to come up with a long-term vision. "Maybe we should do something differently on which direction we are heading," she said. This is doable if "we put the right programs and policies in place," she said, adding that the main economic issues to be be addressed are hunger, local employment and poverty.

Based on a recent NEDA survey, 64 percent of respondents envisioned a society where no one is hungry; 51 percent said “all have a chance for adequate jobs;” 50 percent said “no one is poor;” 50 percent said “everyone can go to college;” 38 percent said “all can get treatment when sick;” 36 percent said “all families have their own houses;” 17 percent said “everyone has modern lifestyle;” and 10 percent said “the country is a world leader in Science.”

Colas said that, per the NEDA study, "Eradication of corruption is the most important aspect of government service that should be addressed." The target of AmBisyon Natin 2040 is to eradicate poverty and make the Philippines a high-income country by 2040 or sooner, she said.

NEDA-8 Assistant Regional Director Meylene Rosales was optimistic that AmBisyon Natin 2040 will be successful, especially with the full support of the media.

PIA-8 Regional Director Alice Nicart commented, "There is nothing wrong with having ambition. We can dream as long as we want but when we wake up, we must start making it happen." She vowed for PIA-8’s support to the AmBisyon program, and to whoever the president of the country will be.

AmBisyon Natin 2040 is formulated to overturn a projection of Asia 2050 that the Philippines will be overtaken by India and Viet Nam and lag behind with Mongolia and Cambodia. Asia 2050 projects that seven economies will lead Asia's march to prosperity namely South Korea, Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand by year 2050.  (FREEMANNEWS)