Reaction Paper on Deconstructing 10 Point Agenda of Prrd and Ambisyon 2040

Marc Louie L. Olap

Masters in Public Administration (MPA)

MPA-622: Public Fiscal Administration

REACTION PAPER ON THE ARTICLE” DECONSTRUCTING DUTERTE’s 10 POINT SOCIO-ECONOMIC AGENDA” AND “AMBISYON NATIN 2040, A LONG TERM VISION FOR THE PHILIPPINES”

“However, there remains a lot of hope in the agenda. With the right people to act on these points, it will indeed result into an economic boom.”

This last part of the article on Deconstructing Duterte’s 10-point Socio-Economic Agenda I believe is the key on achieving the AmBisyon Natin 2040 and the total implementation and execution of the 10-point agendas of the Duterte’s Administration.

Given that the AmBisyon Natin 2040 is the collective long-term vision and aspiration of the Filipino in the next 25 years, the observation of some analyst that it is a replica of the previous administration’s is good indication for me because Duterte’s agenda has this objective of the continuing the previous efforts and accomplishments and acknowledging by strengthening feeble points in the past agenda and paying attention to essential sectors that will surely contribute to economic growth.

Deciphering poverty

I believe the action of strengthening the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a must. Being the anti-poverty program of the administration, strengthening the timely-implementation procedure, proper screening of target beneficiaries should be given priority because the provision of monetary support to tremendously poor families as immediate response to their needs is a reflection on effective utilization of public fund. Yes, some would say that is just a waste of money because beneficiaries will be highly dependent on this services but for those who needed it the most, it is highly significant to them. Having the health check-ups for the maternity and children aged 0-5, and children enrollment in daycare, elementary, and secondary schools, among others. 

A probable solution to unemployment

Simultaneous effort to address the unemployment with CCT is a good point to address the poverty, because once one have a reliable source of money, the fund from CCT will just a means to sustainable life.

But how do we address the unemployment rate? I would agree on the fact that there is a mismatch between the required skills of industries and supplied labor force. Despite the effort of the government increase of job creation of the government, there still a number of unemployed new graduate. Just like in entry of 2012 where in about 200,000 registered Philippines nurses could not find work and estimated 80,000 are graduating on same years to join the already saturated job market^[1]. Another scenario is the the fact that there is lack of required educational institutions to provide the required skills. Good thing that on the the seventh point economic agenda which aims in investing in human capital development by including proper health and education systems, and match skills and training resulting to accurate employment. Also for Duterte’s plans to continue the K-12 program and  pushes for a stronger implementation of the Alternative Learning System that will provide uneducated workforce gain minimum required skill and qualification needed to secure a job.