PPPs make rousing comeback under BBM

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s administration will further pursue public-private partnerships on infrastructure development to accelerate the country's economic recovery, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Citing its year-end report, the Office of the Press Secretary said that aside from focusing on PPPs, the Marcos government will undertake the Investment Coordination Committee appraisal and programming of major national projects in 2023.

It will also finalize the Regional Development Plan, Public Investment Program for 2023 to 2028, and the Three-year Rolling Infrastructure Plan for 2024 to 2026.

Marcos has repeatedly cited the role of private organizations in achieving his administration's bid for infrastructure development and digital transformation.

Advisory body formed
At the national level, the Marcos administration has created the Private Sector Advisory Council, which is composed of several business leaders.

It was created by the President to make his administration "to be attuned" to the concerns and problems of the sector.

The group is mandated to make recommendations on modern policy development.

OPS added that National Economic and Development Authority aims to steer the implementation of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, pursue its advocacy, and monitor the progress of plan implementation vis-a-vis targets.

It also eyes to complete the registration of the 92 million Filipinos aged five and above to the Philippine Identification System and conduct the Census of Agriculture and Fisheries for the Calendar Year 2022 and the 2023 Family Income and Expenditure Survey.

Also included in its plans next year are the adoption of the five-year most favored nation tariff structure and the passage of the remaining 30 bills in the
Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council Common Legislative Agenda based on the prioritization criteria.

NEDA listed its major accomplishments this year, such as the crafting of the administration's eight-point socioeconomic agenda seen to allow the economy to return to its high-growth trajectory, reinvigorate job creation, and accelerate poverty reduction.

In addition to this are the formulation of the PDP and organizing Regional Development Councils, which will serve as the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the regions.