NEDA: Devt plan beyond PNoy’s term underway

The government is crafting an economic development plan that will supposedly make an impact way beyond the term of President Benigno Aquino III, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a statement Tuesday. NEDA director-general and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga Jr. announced this at the 10th Young Economists’ Convention in response to a demand for a “longer term" development plan, following the full implementation of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2011-2016. Unveiled in April, PDP 2011-2016 aims to ensure inclusive growth, or economic expansion creating more jobs and addressing poverty. “I have actually asked the help of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the Philippine Center for Economic Development to flesh out the country’s long-term vision for development that would guide the succeeding administrations," said Paderanga, who presented PDP 2011-2016 at a student gathering in Pasay City. An inclusive growth framework should also take center stage in the extended economic plan, Paderanga added. “We are at the point where we would like to bring along everybody. And this is the reason for the whole concept of inclusive growth. If you can bring citizens along and equip them to participate both in the market and in social interactions, then society would greatly reap social benefits," he said. — PE/VS, GMA News