VP NOLI TO ECONOMIC
PLANNERS: PROTECT EQUITY, DEVELOPMENT GOALS FROM POLITICS
18 November 2005
VICE-President Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro yesterday called on
the country’s economic planners to protect the nation’s equity and
development goal from politics.
ECONOMIC
PLANNERS WELCOME VP. Vice President and
concurrent HUDCC chair Noli
‘Kabayan’ De Castro is welcomed by Joachim Von Amsberg, Country
Director of World Bank
Philippines, Antonio D. Kalaw, Senior Vice President of DAP, and Jaime Augusto Zobel De
Ayala, President of Ayala Corp.
upon the VP’s arrival at the Forum on Equity and Development held at
the Development Academy of the
Philippines in Mandaluyong City. (OVP photo by Egay Montaña
) 11/18/05
Speaking before delegates attending the Forum on Equity and
Development at the Development
Academy
of the Philippines
(DAP)
in
Mandaluyong, De Castro urged economic planners to focus on their
objectives and not be affected by political issues.
“Let us remain focused on our goal. Let us not allow
political issues to divide the unity of purpose that gatherings like
this generate,” De Castro said.
During the forum, De Castro admitted he has not worked in the
government long enough to gain an inside view of the long-term outcome
of policies and programs. Nevertheless, his more than two decades in
public service has equipped him with the skills to adequately feel the
implications of government economic policies on the masses.
“Most of my professional life was spent outside of the government,
primarily in public service and public information. But I assure you
that I am fully exposed to the effect of all these policies and
programs of the common ‘tao’,” he said.
De Castro said he witnessed the politics involved in crafting the
interventions by the government which make equity and development hard
to achieve.
Despite this, the Vice-President expressed optimism saying, “While
political forces in this country may differ on positions regarding
personalities, there remains a broad consensus on the need for equity
and development”.
De Castro said that more than just an appendage to a major development
project, the relocation of informal settlers is actually an opportunity
to mobilize massive public and private resources to provide greater
opportunities for the urban poor.
Taking that into consideration, De Castro said he approached the
program along three dimensions namely the provision of tenurial
security, total community development and eco-social upliftment.
He said HUDCC has been
successful in developing the Northrail communities despite having its
own share of issues and problems. He said such success can only be
preserved as long as the real stake holders in the program, especially
the beneficiaries, would continue to work with the government.
Ref. VPMEDIA 05-178
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Division (MISD). All rights reserved.