NEDA board agenda: more jobs, approve PPP projects

NEDA board agenda: more jobs, approve PPP projects

MALACAÑANG on Thursday convened a marathon meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board to create more jobs and lure new investments to reverse the lower-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 5.7 percent in the first quarter of 2014.

During the meeting, the Investment Coordination Committee under the Neda Board meeting was also expected to discuss and approve the following: the Department of Public Works and Highways road and interchange projects in the National Capital Region, Region 1 and Region 4A; the Local Water Utilities Administration water-district development project; the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s Angat Water  Transmission Improvement Project; the Department of Transportation and Communications’s Light Rail Transit Operations & Maintenance Project; the National Irrigation Authority’s Umayam River Irrigation Project; and the Department of Health’s government hospital- modernization project.

Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. said that in order to boost economic growth, the government would continue to implement the strategies in the updated Philippine Development Plan.

“To further boost employment, the Department of Labor and Employment will focus on implementing job-creation facilitation programs targeted at businesses that are expanding operations,” Coloma said.

He noted that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas had said that “in its first-quarter 2014 Business Expectation Survey, more than a third of the respondents have indicated expansion plans that could lead to increased job openings for the remainder of this year.”

Likewise, Coloma recalled Neda Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan as having said in a recent address to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines that the administration would “focus on increasing investments from employers to generate high quality and remunerative employment, as this is vital in achieving rapid poverty reduction toward inclusive growth.”

This means, he said, the administration would concentrate on boosting business for industries and sectors that create more job opportunities, especially those in sectors that provide quality jobs and good economic packages for workers.

Coloma said these priority sectors that have been deemed to be good generators of job opportunities are manufacturing, tourism, information technology, business-process management, construction, logistics and  agribusiness.

“The government shall focus on increasing investments on these priority sectors that, according to the Neda, can provide remunerative jobs, thereby promoting inclusive growth, especially among our countrymen in the marginalized sectors,” Coloma added.

Chaired by President Aquino, the Neda Board is composed of Neda Director General Arsenio Balisacan as vice chairman, with Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, Environment Secretary Ramon JP Paje Jr., Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, Budget Secretary Florencio B.  Abad and Local Government Secretary Manuel  Roxas II.

Butch Fernandez

Source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/top-news/32929-neda-board-agenda-more-jobs-approve-ppp-projects