Press Release
November 8, 2007

Angara to NEDA: 'focus on economic
planning and devp't; Clean up devp'tl stats

"Become the country's leading innovator."

This is the main challenge Senator Edgardo Angara presented to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) today.

Senator Angara pointed out that the NEDA should focus on its planning, statistical and research functions necessary for socioeconomic development, and do away with peripheral functions that do not involve these.

Accurate statistics for forward planning

"For instance, accurate statistics are integral to forward planning of the government," said Senator Angara.

According to Senator Angara, accurate statistics indicate the needs and capabilities of the country, and is thus necessary for the government to plan its next moves.

To illustrate, Senator Angara emphasized the need for statistical data on the country's human resource requirement and demographic profile for the next four to ten years.

"In 2020, we are going to feed 113 million Filipinos -- that's why we better begin planning now."

"At the same time, the demography of the world is changing. Baby boomers, or the skilled professionals of developed countries like US, Japan and the United Kingdom will soon be retiring, and their aging population will not be able to fill the jobs that these retirees will leave behind. New job opportunities are also being created because of increasing globalization and sophisticated technology. We must grab these opportunities to adapt the country to the changing times," the Senator said.

"That's why my concentration is on human capital development. If we know what our demographic profile will be, we can analyze it and fit it like pieces of a puzzle with the emerging global trends. Then we'll know what we ought to do for the next ten years in terms of human resources development," explained Senator Angara.

Recent government statistics have been conflicting, such as the statistics of the classroom shortage. In May 2006, there was a shortage of 74,115 classrooms, or 6,832 classrooms under a double-shift policy. A year later, the classroom shortage was downplayed into 20,587 classrooms. This is statistically improbable, as the budget for classroom construction in 2006 was Php2 billion, and a classroom costs around Php400,000.

Stop peripheral functions

Senator Angara also underscored the peripheral projects submitted by the NEDA, questioning

"Why should you [NEDA] concern yourselves with programs such as scholarships, Japanese fertilizers, Pasig river development etc, when you can leave that function already to other government agencies?"

According to the senator, "The NEDA employs many of the country's best financial minds. They should not be underutilized with these kinds of activities, but instead focus on generating ideas for the country's development."

"You are the brain, eyes, and ears of the nation, as far as the nation's socioeconomic development is concerned," said Senator Angara.

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