Groundwork starts on 2011-2016 dev’t plan

PRELIMINARY development plans for the next administration are already being crafted, officials said, with the focus still on economic growth and poverty reduction.

Five initial priority sectors — macroeconomic stability, governance, infrastructure, food security, and education and health — have been identified for the 2011-2016 Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), they said.

“What we have now is still raw. We can begin working on the MTPDP only after the next president has been sworn in, delivered his policy speech and relayed his priorities,” Dennis M. Arroyo, planning and policy director at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said late last week.

“Situationers” will be offered to the next president, NEDA assistant policy and planning director Myrna Clara B. Asuncion said, adding “There is a possibility that the MTPDP will be made sectoral, instead of thematic. The number of chapters might also be reduced to make it more focused”.

Mr. Arroyo, asked his opinion on what should be prioritized by the next government, replied: “Poverty reduction … That will require growth and [an] increase in investments including capital formation and infrastructure.

“Spending more on social priorities, education, and health is also important.”

Mr. Arroyo also stressed the need to break monopoly power, make Filipinos competitive globally by upgrading education and investing in digital infrastructure, and called for the completion of vital transportation links. — Mary Joy Katrina R. Contreras, Businessworld