Marcos inks EO adopting Philippine Development Plan

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has signed an executive order approving and adopting the Philippine Development Plan for 2023 to 2028, Malacañang announced on Monday.

Signed on January 27, Executive Order No. 14 states that the PDP aims to bring back the Philippines to a "high-growth trajectory and more importantly, enable economic and social transformation for a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society."

"To support the PDP, there is a need to identify the priority programs and projects that will be carried out by agencies for the period 2023-2028, embodied in the Public Investment Program (PIP) 2023-2028," Marcos said.

According to Marcos, this plan sets out the framework of the development plan for the Philippines, including all of the priority areas.

Under EO No. 14, all national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), other national government offices and instrumentalities, government corporate entities (GCEs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local government units (LGUs) are directed to adopt and disseminate the PDP 2023-2028.

They are further directed to align their budgetary and department programs with the strategies and activities identified in the PDP 2023-2028.

"In the submission of their priority programs and projects, all heads of national government agencies, GOCCs, GFIs, and other national government offices and instrumentalities, GCEs and SUCs are hereby instructed to adhere to the 07 October 2022 PIP formulation guidelines issued by the NEDA," the EO stated.

The formulation of the PDP 2023-2028 shall be completed by the first quarter of 2023 and updated annually or when deemed necessary by the National Economic and Development Authority.

The NEDA Secretary is authorized to issue memoranda, circulars, or orders which may be deemed necessary in the enforcement of the PDP.

Upper-middle income Philippines

Marcos graced the "From Plan to Action: Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 Forum" Held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

In his speech, Marcos pointed out that the plan would set the Philippines "towards becoming a upper-middle income country by the year 2025."

"But beyond economic development, the plan also focuses on social development and protection, disaster resilience, digital transformation and many other things," said the President.

He said: "These are truly bold plans but I have the confidence in the minds of those who will become our partners in realizing this vision contained in this document and faith in the capacity of our people."

Marcos further hailed NEDA as well as other government agencies and private sectors involved for the "timely finalization of the development plan."

"As you see, we hold, we regard with high importance the involvement of the private sector in all our plans for the future," said Marcos.

"It is a very simple axiomatic principle that we follow and that is very simply that we the government cannot do this alone, and we must strengthen our partnerships with our private sector partners both here and abroad," he added.—Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA Integrated News