NEDA readies new medium term development plan to start 2010

MANILA, Philippines – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is preparing a new Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan, the government’s economic blueprint, with measures on climate change adaptation high in the agenda.

NEDA deputy director general Rolando Tungpalan said the new plan is geared toward pursuing green growth and will incorporate policies and plans on environmental sustainability.

“The preparation of a new MTPDP presents a new opportunity for us to incorporate green growth strategies into our development policies and plans” Tungpalan said during a recent meeting between the Philippines and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Tungpalan he said the government should be able to draw from the rich available resources of information on green strategies, referring to program initiatives on environmental sustainability presented during the meeting.

The current MTPDP ends in 2010 and NEDA is starting to prepare a successor MTPDP for the next six years under a new administration.

“With climate change at the center of the world stage these days, there is a mad rush for available resources aimed at green growth and sustainable development,” Tungpalan said.

He said the government should be able to have a “smarter” way of using these available resources to fund the country’s development priorities. According to Tungpalan, foreign-aided projects should be characterized by strong country ownership and transparency and accountability, as well as streamlined and in harmony with other projects.

At the meeting with UNDP, it was reported that key stakeholders are better able to manage environment and natural resources, develop and use sustainable energy sources, cope with the impacts of environmental emergencies and maintain sustainable development.

Among the UNDP-funded programs and projects are NEDA-led projects, namely “Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Local Development Planning and Decision Making Processes (Integrating DRR/CCA)” and “Strengthening the Philippines’ Institutional Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change (MDG-F).” –Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)