Gov’t work double time to reduce poverty rate

The government is bent on slashing poverty by generating more quality employment, especially during the last two years of the Aquino administration, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

“Knowing that our days are numbered, the all-important question is: What will be our priorities? I would say three tasks: To significantly reduce poverty mainly through the massive generation of quality employment; to sustain the gains from governance reform; and to lay the groundwork for a more significant reduction of poverty,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said in a speech during the 52nd annual meeting of the Philippine Economic Society.

Balisacan Friday noted that part of the updated goals of the midterm Philippine Development Plan (PDP) is the creation of more quality employment through increased investments, citing that such is seen as a “more robust strategy” to cut poverty levels.

The PDP targets to reduce the incidence of “multidimensional poverty” to 16-18 percent in 2016 from 28.2 percent in 2008.

“We want to increasingly shift employment from low- to high-productivity areas or sectors of the economy … In the recent economic history of East Asia, this is key to massive poverty reduction,” said Balisacan, who is also Neda director general.

The particular sectors to be supported by the government in a bid to generate more productive jobs are agribusiness, construction, information technology and business process management, infrastructure, logistics, manufacturing, and tourism, the Neda chief said.

“For these sectors, roadmaps have been prepared, clearly identifying what needs to be done to encourage expansion,” he said.

As far as good governance—which has brought back investor confidence in the country—is concerned, Balisacan said that “[t]he task at hand is to ensure that the governance reforms are carried forward.”

In this regard, “a number of us in the executive [branch of government] are cooperating with Congress in drafting a bill that will ensure fiscally responsible, transparent, accountable, efficient and effective public financial management,” Balisacan disclosed.

Also, Neda and the Department of Budget and Management are working on institutionalizing regulatory impact assessment as well as putting in place a national monitoring and evaluation plan that shall ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of government programs for long-term, he said.

Balisacan also cited the need to pave the way toward greatly reducing the incidence of poverty beyond 2016.

For Balisacan, the three-pronged, forward-looking approach to lift the poor out of their present state is as follows: Bring the economy to a higher growth path, ensure that the poor can participate in the growth process, and build resilience among individuals and communities.

The Neda chief is optimistic that all these could still be achieved before President Aquino’s term ends.

“This is still a tall order, no slack time in the next two years. But with an inspiring leadership and a motivated bureaucracy, we know it can be done,” Balisacan said.