Neda wants longer-term economic dev’t plan

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is seeking to have its functions strengthened through a charter that will eventually pave the way for long-term planning beyond administrations.

Neda was also pushing for priority legislation and administrative reforms that would support the Duterte administration’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

Neda Deputy Director General Rosemarie G. Edillon told the Senate economic affairs committee on Thursday that some of these legislative and administrative agenda were the following: public financial management bill or organic budget act; full implementation of the government integrated financial management information systems; amendments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Charter; amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Law; the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the rationalization of the mining fiscal regime.

Also, Neda was pushing for the passage of the fiscal incentives rationalization bill; finalization of industry roadmaps by the Department of Trade and Industry; removal of investment restrictions in specific laws cited in the Foreign Investment Negative List of the Foreign Investments Act; amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law; passage of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) IV and the comprehensive tax reform.

Edillon said these proposed reforms had already been identified in the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 but were not enacted. “We think they are still very crucial for the next plan period [2017-2022] to make economic growth inclusive.”

Also part of the reform agenda is the proposed Neda Charter to strengthen the state planning agency. Edillon said the Constitution had mandated the establishment of an independent planning agency, pending which this function was granted to Neda.

“It’s high time that we have an independent planning agency,” Edillon said.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Neda Director General Ernesto M. Pernia said there was no current provision mandating Neda to craft longer-term plans. At present, the agency comes out only with medium-term plans such as the six-year development plans.

“Maybe there’s time now to engage in long-term planning,” the Neda chief said.

Pernia later told the Inquirer that Neda could be strengthened through a charter but it “may not be possible to make it independent because the President chairs the Neda board.”

“Perhaps what can be done is to have an extension of Neda that will be involved in long-term planning, even medium-term planning, with some authority. It can be an attached agency or just a small section or division, ” he added. Ben O. de Vera