Aspiration for Year 2040

Recently, President Duterte issued Executive Order No. 5 adopting a 25-year long term vision for the country entitled Ambisyon Natin 2040 as guide for development planning.

The vision, which is based on nationwide public consultations by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), is “by 2040, the Philippines shall be a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor; our peoples shall live long and healthy lives, be smart and innovative, and shall live in a high-trust society.”

The order states that the government aims to triple real per capita incomes and eradicate hunger and poverty by 2040, if not sooner, with the appropriate milestones identified to guide successive medium term development plans.

All government departments, offices and instrumentalities, including government-owned and -controlled corporations and local government units, have been instructed to make their plans consistent with this vision.

Barring any unexpected interruption of his term of office or change in our system of government, President Duterte will be overseeing the accomplishment of this goal in its initial phase.

After 2022, the ball will be in the court of the presidents who will take over the government, assuming they will agree with or subscribe to the proposed action plans until 2040.

The 25-year program is a sharp departure from past Neda development plans that were medium-term in character, or arranged to be completed within the term of the incumbent president or a few months after his successor is elected.

The 2040 vision (or aspiration) of progress is ambitious. It’s equivalent to moving the Philippines close to the level of countries whose economies are healthy and capable of meeting the requirements of their citizens without foreign assistance.

All former presidents aimed to reduce, if not eliminate, poverty in the country. Every presidential candidate from the Commonwealth period to the recent elections put poverty alleviation in their platform. They promised, if elected, to give a better life for those who have less in life.

In 1997, Congress enacted a law that created a National Anti-Poverty Commission (NACP) under the Office of the President for the purpose of coordinating the poverty reduction programs of national and local governments, and ensure the participation of the marginalized sectors in government decisions.

The jury is still out on whether, after 19 years, NACP has accomplished its mandate.

So, is the dream of a having a predominantly middle class society 24 years from now capable of realization in the light of existing social, economic and political conditions?

Yes, but it will take a lot of political will by President Duterte and his future successors to make that happen. But this should not be taken to mean that accomplishing the 2040 vision rests solely on the shoulders of the political leadership.

The government can only do so much in improving the quality of our people’s lives. It can lay the groundwork for development, but the responsibility of making full and effective use of that foundation rests with the business, professional, youth and other sectors of our society.

We have to wean ourselves from dependence on government to make things happen or look to government for direction in coping with the requirements of our daily lives.

In crafting the milestones that will bring the country to the 2040 goal, Neda should avoid making the government the fulcrum around which the success or failure of the 2040 vision shall depend. The different sectors of our society should be made an integral part of or be encouraged to participate in the endeavor.