A new office, a new man

PHILIPPINES - In Brief 22 Dec 2023 by Diwa Guinigundo
It’s all in President Bongbong Marcos’ Executive Order (EO) No. 49. The Order created the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) in the Office of the President. Its seven whereases virtually repudiated the current state of affairs in economic policymaking in the Philippines. To establish economic policy coordination, we have at present an Economic Development Group (EDG), previously Economic Development Cluster (EDC), which harmonizes, coordinates, complements and synergizes efforts to address such burning issues as inflation and food security. We have key economic committees under the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board such as Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), Social Development Committee (SDC), Committee on Infrastructure (INFRACOM) and the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). These are the first two whereases. Until the new EO was released, the EDG was chaired by the Secretary of Finance Benjamin Diokno. Diokno also chaired the ICC. Vice-President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte presides over the SDC. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan is chairman of INFRACOM while DBCC is headed by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. Is the EO saying these three economic managers with the Education Secretary fell short of what is required by the President in establishing quick and effective response to the issues of inflation and food security, that policy coordination and synergy are sorely lacking? The third whereas of the EO makes the important point that something seems to be missing in the effective formulation, coordination and implementation of what it calls “initiatives, plans,...

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