Duterte unveils 25-year dev’t plan that envisions Filipinos to enjoy stable, comfortable lifestyle

President Duterte has laid down his administration’s long-term vision for the Philippines following the critical assessment of former President Fidel V. Ramos of his first 100 days in office.

In a document released by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) yesterday, Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 05 last October 11 that highlighted the development plan for the Philippines in the next 25 years.

Under the development plan dubbed “Ambisyon Natin 2040,” the Duterte administration wants that after 25 years all Filipinos will “enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle” and free of poverty.

“In 2040, we will all enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle, secure in the knowledge that we have enough for our daily needs and unexpected expenses,” the President’s EO read.

Under the long-term program, Duterte envisions that after 25 years Filipinos can now plan and prepare for their own and their children’s future. “Our family lives together in a place of our own, and we have the freedom to go where we desire, protected and enabled by a clean, efficient, and fair government,” it added.

Earlier, Ramos issued his critical assessment of Duterte’s first 100 days in his Manila Bulletin column, noting that the Chief Executive has failed to lay down his long-term strategic vision for the Philippines.

Ramos, who pushed Duterte to run for president, also added that the administration’s war on drugs should not be the end-all and be-all of his governance.

Based on Duterte’s EO, the government expects Asia to become the center of the global economy by 2050, and that the Philippines “needs a bold vision and effective development planning, one that adopts a forward-looking approach that goes beyond a single political administration.”

Duterte also plans to institutionalize his administration’s economic plans to achieve its vision of becoming “at par with the region’s economic growth and development.”

“Filipino should always be at the center of development planning,” the EO further read.

“Knowledge of our peoples’ aspirations for themselves and the country is necessary to enable the government to design programs, projects, and activities geared towards the attainment of development outcomes in order to fulfill such aspirations,” it added.

Under the country’s vision, the NEDA shall serve as the independent planning agency of the government and shall primarily be responsible for formulating and continuing coordinated and fully integrated social and economic policies, plans and programs.

Duterte said that the overall long-term goal of the development plan is to triple real per capita incomes and eradicate hunger and poverty by 2040, if not sooner. “An appropriate set of milestones shall be identified to guide the successive medium-term development plans.”

Earlier, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the government needs to spend P2.3 trillion annually for key public investments to transform the Philippines and be at par with Malaysia and South Korea by 2040.

In particular, the DOF said the government needs to raise its investments in infrastructure, education, health, social protection, training, and other programs from the present P1.27 trillion level to P2.29 billion.

By the end of the Duterte administration’s term, the government aims to become a high middle income nation, equivalent to Thailand and China, with a poverty rate of 17 percent. Ultimately, the Philippines should achieve the high income status by 2040.

To meet that goal, the DOF said the government needs to raise additional P1 trillion a year to bridge the current funding gap for key public investments.

The needed P1 trillion annual funding could be realized if Congress would pass into law the Duterte administration’s tax reform plan, implement reforms at its two main tax agencies, and impose efficient spending.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Chino Leyco

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