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By Katrice R. Jalbuena Reporter
VICE President Noli de Castro has
proposed a five-point strategy to
arrest the uncertainties surrounding the country’s economic and
social condition.
Speaking during the Philippine
Development Forum (PDF) in Clark, Pampanga last week, de Castro
admitted that “the truth behind the Philippine economic and social
condition is not in black and white, but in shades of gray”.
De Castro believes the
country’s economic and social dilemma can be resolved by the
five-point strategy he is proposing.
First, de Castro said development
planners have to refocus some of the country’s programs away from
welfare activities towards sustainable income generation.
“We could not rely on them
[welfare-type programs] to provide the building block for long-run
improvement in the living condition of the poor,” he said.
Second, he said mechanisms to
address the reality of globalization and its impact on food prices
should be instituted.
The vice-president explained that
in 2007, world food prices went up by 75 percent as compared to
levels in 2000. Since food is the biggest item in the consumption
basket of the poor, he said any increase in food prices will surely
affect their standard of living.
Third, de Castro said the country
should seal its gains and prevent backsliding. He said the series of
reform measures aimed at improving revenue generation and limiting
government expenditures have been instrumental in promoting
macroeconomic stability.
De Castro also suggested the
build-up of good practices in governance such as the reforms that
encourage accountability and transparency, that include the new
procurement law and government accounting system.
Lastly, de Castro called on the
development planners to work meaningfully with all sectors to
strengthen the commitment to eradicate poverty, and pursue genuine
development in the country.
During the forum, de Castro also
made a pitch for the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness adopted
in 2005.
“With the Philippine
Development Plan as the platform to harmonize and coordinate efforts
to address key challenges and support shared priorities among
government, development agencies, civil society, and the business
sector, we actually see the principles and commitments in the Paris
Declaration put into best practice,” he said.
He specifically highlighted the
key words of the declaration namely: “ownership” by the
government of development projects; ‘alignment’ which calls for
the use of the country’s systems and procedures; and
“harmonization” which advocates that development agencies
dovetail all efforts to support the country’s priorities. 
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