Gov’t to spend P4.17T for infra, tourism, social projects

The Aquino administration has committed P4.17 trillion worth of public investments in the remainder of its term to make the benefits of the growing economy trickle down the poor.

Arsenio Balisacan, director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), said the government acknowledged that gains from the country’s expanding economy remained exclusive largely to the middle class and the rich and that it vowed to help address the phenomenon through higher public investments.

In a speech Tuesday during an economic forum organized by the Investor Relations Office (IRO), Balisacan said the public investment program for the second half of the Aquino administration was valued at P4.17 trillion.

“The proportion of the poor has remained high from 2003 to 2009 despite modest economic growth during the period. Poverty rate dropped to 25.2 percent in 2012 [from 26.3 three years before], but we had a setback last year,” Balisacan said.

Last year, poverty incidence was expected to have risen from the 2012 level due to the adverse impact of an earthquake that hit the Visayas in October and Supertyphoon “Yolanda” that struck in November.

The biggest share of P2.46 trillion in public expenditures is meant for various infrastructure projects that will boost investments and to make rural areas and tourism destinations more accessible.

The second-biggest share of P733.14 million is intended to fund projects and programs for social development, particularly education, skills training, and health.

Development of fisheries and agriculture sector will be the biggest beneficiary as it will get P549.06 million out of the total targeted spending for the public investment program.

The balance will be used to fund other initiatives meant to help achieve inclusive growth such as projects and programs meant to make disaster-prone areas resilient, those meant to aid innovation in the services and industry sectors, and those intended to implement reforms in the bureaucracy to further pursue the good-governance agenda, among others.