The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is on the right track in implementing the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, Secretary Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.
“The report that we have provided to the President, the Philippine Development Report last year pointed out, that in so far as the implementation of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), we are in the right direction,” Balisacan said during an interview on Malacañang Insider, on Thursday.
Although some issues have been observed in the PDP, Balisacan said the government is currently addressing them.
“We have seen some issues, some problems that we need to correct, we need to address to ensure that at the end of this administration, we are able to meet the development targets, especially doon sa pina-promise natin na the poverty must be reduced to single-digit level,” Balisacan said.
He added that part of the PDP involves ensuring that the types of jobs available to ordinary Filipinos are high-quality jobs.
“That we are able to increase or generate massive employment opportunities, and that growth in our development must be inclusive, meaning it must be felt everywhere in the country,” he stressed.
Balisacan said rural and regional developments across the country are important facets of that inclusivity.
“So, we must see development moving outward, not just from Metro Manila, but all the major areas of the country,” Balisacan said.
“So, we need to create more growth around the country and connectivity, that is why infrastructure and connectivity are major focus,” he said.
Balisacan also revealed that NEDA will introduce a midterm reform.
“In fact, next year is our mid-term for this administration and NEDA will come up with a mid-term reform, to see where we are in the implementation of the Marcos administration’s plans and programs and learn from the lessons that the first three years deployed as lessons effectively, so that we can meet our development goals under this administration,” he said. *PND*
