Gov’t evaluating P4T in investment proposals

ROLANDO G. TUNGPALAN: P4 trillion worth of proposed projects for the investment program are being studied in terms of their responsiveness to the PDP Philippine Development Plan. PHOTO FROM NEDA.GOV.PH

The government is evaluating P4 trillion worth of proposed projects for the investment program that will implement the Aquino administration’s medium-term strategy of attaining “inclusive” economic growth, according to a top official of the National Economic and Development Authority.

NEDA Deputy Director General Rolando G. Tungpalan told reporters that proposals of government agencies for the Public Investment Program (PIP) 2011-2016 were being studied in terms of “how responsive these submissions have been to the PDP [Philippine Development Plan].”

The evaluation would also determine which of the priority programs and projects could be suitable for public-private partnerships, foreign assistance, credit lines to be availed of by the private sector, and so on, Tungpalan said.

The PIP translates the PDP into a core set of priority programs and projects to be implemented by the national government, government-owned and -controlled corporations, state financial institutions and other offices until 2016.

“For example, if food self-sufficiency is a target by 2013 or beyond, how many hectares of irrigation [are needed]? What are the post-harvest facilities? That’s the kind of processing that we want to do,” Tungpalan said.

“And then, for the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), how many classrooms in the Department of Education’s program would help us achieve our MDG on universal primary education? What kind of student-teacher ratio, student-classroom ratio do we need? We should be very clear on the outputs that the projects are supposed to produce and their contribution to sectoral outcomes,” he said.

Tungpalan said NEDA staff members were working to complete the PIP refinements within a month.

Last June, Economic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr., who is also NEDA director general, said in a memorandum: “In formulating the PIP, the programs and projects should contribute to the societal goals, outcomes and outputs spelled out in the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.”

Paderanga said the guidelines for the PIP included the alignment of outcomes, indicators and targets under the following five priority areas: anti-corruption, transparent, accountable and participatory governance; poverty reduction and empowerment of the poor and vulnerable; rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth; just and lasting peace and the rule of law, and integrity of the environment and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Government agencies must also determine the annual financing requirements by funding source of these programs and projects within the medium-term, Paderanga said.

After its completion, the PIP will be regularly updated together with the midterm review of the PDP.