The country’s next socioeconomic planning blueprint, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), may be completed ahead of schedule, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Neda said it has already finished conducting various consultations with different sectors and is currently finalizing the plan. The PDP is expected to be presented to the President and members of the Cabinet by early December for approval and adoption.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the planning for the PDP has to be a whole-of-government and whole-of-society collaboration for economic transformation.
He said the timely completion of the PDP gives the government a huge head start in executing policies and programs as the various government agencies already have a clear strategy.
“Even during the preparatory period, the various PDP Planning Committees spearheaded numerous nationwide consultations using onsite and online platforms to solicit ideas from different stakeholders and sectors,” Balisacan said.
“We also conducted PDP Forums featuring the Youth, Private, and Public sectors. The Advisory Committee, composed of highly distinguished sectoral experts, provided guidance to the PDP team on critical issues affecting sustainable growth and development,” he added.
Strategies in the PDP, Neda said, will support human and social development, including protection from risks and preparation for future economic disruptions.
The strategies will also include transforming the production sectors so that they can provide a range of goods and services at competitive prices.
Neda said this entails creating an enabling environment for growth and investment through policies that foster competition and innovation, harness digitalization as an efficient means of delivering public and private services, and uphold peace and security.
Balisacan and other Neda officials recently presented the salient points of the upcoming PDP to the President. The PDP’s overarching aim is to address both near-term and medium-term challenges.