New economic blueprint faces delay

THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said it may ask President Benigno Aquino 3rd to extend the deadline for the draft of the country’s new six-year economic blueprint because of the government’s new “thrusts.” “We’re still discussing it [new deadlines]. Actually, the President has instructions, so we cannot just change. It has to be discussed with him,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General Cayetano Paderanga told reporters.

Based on the original target, the draft Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011 to 2016 should be presented to the NEDA Board and Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) by December 16.

On January 6, the MTPDP for 2011 to 2016 should be submitted to the President.

“The President has instructed that the MTPDP will be geared towards the implementation of his 16-point agenda in the social contract (with the Filipino people) and in fact the workshop on the implementation of the social contract . . . most of the agencies already have their preliminary contributions,” Paderanga said.

“So, they are looking at it again in light of the discussions in the workshop and some agencies in a way may require a little more time since they said there are new thrusts in government that they will have to incorporate into their program.”

The agencies had until November 26 to submit their inputs for the new MTPDP.

The new economic blueprint will focus on attaining a sustained and high economic growth that provides productive employment opportunities and effective social safety nets.

The new MTPDP has five pillars of growth, namely, macroeconomic policy framework, infrastructure for development, strengthening the financial sector and capital mobilization, enhancing peace and security for development, and protecting the integrity of the environment and natural resources.

Under the new MTPDP, Paderanga said priority shall be given on meeting the targets on poverty reduction, nutrition, dietary energy requirement, primary education, maternal mortality and access to reproductive health services.

He said the plan should also consider regional dimensions and dynamics so that the successor Regional Development Plans shall contain localized targets and strategies that will address specific concerns in those areas.

The old MTPDP 2004 to 2010 focused on then President Arroyo’s 10 point agenda, which included the creation of six million jobs in six years, education, balancing the budget, transportation, development of logistics centers in the regions, decongesting Metro Manila, electricity and water for all, automation of the electoral process, among others. –DARWIN G. AMOJELAR SENIOR REPORTER, Manila Times