Davao City – For a wider ownership and participation in the updating of the national plan, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shall be conducting the Davao Regional Consultation on the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), 2014-2016 on 23 April 2013 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel. This is to ensure that the issues and concerns of Davao Region are considered in the updating of the PDP and revalidation of the Results Matrix (RM) where policies, programs and strategies are going to be spelled out.
The regional consultation is in line with Memorandum Circular No. 43 issued by President Benigno Aquino on February 4, 2013 directing the NEDA to facilitate the updating of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the revalidaAll Poststion of the RM and the Public Investment Program (PIP) for the period 2014-2016. The Plan documents, on the other hand, shall serve as tools to sustain the country’s high growth and eventually achieve inclusive growth.
As the social and economic development planning agency of the country, NEDA reconstituted the inter-agency Planning Committees to facilitate the updating of Plan documents for the period 2014 to 2016. The Updating of the PDP shall assess and address gaps, constraints and bottlenecks in attaining rapid, sustained and inclusive growth. Likewise, the Results Matrices shall also be revalidated simultaneously as accompanying document of the PDP, which contains the list of indicators that can be monitored to determine the progress of the attainment of the Plan’s outcomes.
The main thrust of the Aquino administration in updating the Philippine Development Plan, is to realize inclusive growth and poverty reduction by providing various opportunities for all Filipinos, geographically and across sectors in terms of employment, income opportunities, and human development. Local government units shall be empowered to be the prime movers of inclusive growth.
As a parallel effort to ensure sustainability and inclusiveness of the current high economic growth of the country, the Davao Region shall also update its own medium-term Plan. NEDA XI Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim, who is also the ex-officio Vice-Chairperson of Regional Development Council (RDC) XI, conveyed that Davao Region’s translation of the development directions of the Aquino Administration for the remaining 3 years shall be reflected in the Regional Development Plan (RDP) for 2014-2016.
Director Lim also mentioned that various stakeholders of Davao Region, particularly the officers and members of the RDC XI are invited to participate in the said consultation as the essence of the regional consultation gives emphasis to the important role of the RDCs in the different regions of the country in Plan updating. Likewise, it is expected to further enhance the contribution of all the LGUs as a key connection to achieve inclusive growth. The participation of government line agencies and civil society groups shall also be equally significant in considering the spatial and sectoral dimensions to ensure that the poor areas and sectors are mainstreamed in the growth process.
During the PDP consultation in Davao Region, representatives from the National Planning Committees shall present the National Government’s thrusts and directions for 2014-2016. NEDA is currently making the rounds of consultations in the regions.