PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s move of adopting National Economic and Development Authority’s (Neda) “Ambisyon Natin 2040” is a welcome move especially for the business community.
Department of Trade and Industry-Davao Director Maria Belenda Ambi bared this in an interview with VoxPop Davao on Monday, October 17, adding that it is seen to uplift and sustain the economic status of the Philippines in the long term.
“That would be a great move on the part of the President Duterte. We need a long-term plan for the country that would guide several administrations to continue and sustain our development momentum in the long run,” she said.
Joji Ilagan-Bian, a homegrown businesswoman in the education and tourism industry, said in a separate interview that the endorsement of Ambisyon Natin is seen to give numerous opportunities to Filipinos.
"If implemented and supported by all sectors, it will result to wider base of middle class families with more access to education, health and social services," Bian said.
But she emphasized that the challenge is "how the government will implement the programs so that it will result to real inclusive growth. There needs to be a shift in the traditional manner of governance in both public and private sectors."
She also cited that since the full realization of the vision goes beyond
the term of President Duterte, there needs to be a sense of urgency in the implementation within the next six years so Filipinos can feel significant impact in their daily lives.
Ambisyon Natin 2040, a long-term vision aimed at tripling Filipinos’ real per capita incomes to $11,000 in 24 years’ time by sustaining at least 6.5-percent annual gross domestic product growth thereby eliminating hunger and poverty by 2040.
Duterte endorsed the program thru an Executive Order (EO) 5 inked last October 11.
The EO 5 mandated the identification of “appropriate set of milestones” that would guide the medium-term development plans to be developed by four administrations.
“The four medium-term Philippine Development Plans (PDPs) to be crafted and implemented until 2040 shall be anchored on the Ambisyon Natin 2040 and overall goals. The PDPs shall ensure sustainability and consistency of strategies, policies, programs and projects across political administrations,” EO 5 read.
It added that all plans and programs of government departments, offices and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and local government units, shall be consistent with Ambisyon Natin 2040.
At present, the Duterte administration is presently drafting the Philippine Development Plan for 2017-2022, eyed for publication within this year.
