Marcos OKs population and development 'action plan'

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. has approved the Philippine Population and Development Plan of Action (PPD-POA) for 2023 to 2028.

The memo states that the PPD-POA will serve as the overall blueprint for inter-agency collaboration to optimize demographic opportunities and address remaining population challenges aimed at accelerating the attainment of the country's socioeconomic development agenda under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

"In accordance with their respective mandates, all concerned agencies and instrumentalities of the national government, including government owned and controlled corporations, are hereby directed, and all LGUs (local government units) are hereby encouraged, to undertake efforts in support of the implementation of the PPD-POA 2023-2028, and the plans and programs specified therein," the memo read.

The President, thru Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, issued Memorandum Circular 40 dated November 14, but it was only released on Friday, November 17.

The memo also tasks the state-run Commission on Population and Development, the lead agency in-charge of formulating and adopting comprehensive long-term plans and programs on population, to undertake the following measures:

• Coordinate, collaborate, and establish institutional partnerships with concerned government agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the attainment of the goals and objectives set forth in the PPD-POA through whole-of-government approach.
• Monitor and assess the implementation of the PPD-POA at all levels and submit annual reports to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, on the progress and emerging concerns in the implementation thereof.
• Undertake comprehensive population and development research, establish or analyze population databases, and enable institutions at the national, regional, and local levels to optimize and/or address the impact of population dynamics in their sectoral and local development agenda or strategies, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.
• Build public and institutional awareness on the impact of population dynamics on socioeconomic development.

—Llanesca T. Panti/ VAL, GMA Integrated News