Government gets commitments for anti-poverty program

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration received commitments from various development partners and multilateral agencies for its anti-poverty programs and other reform measures during yesterday’s Philippine Development Forum held in Manila.

This year’s PDF is the first for the Aquino administration and lays the groundwork for the government’s partnership with multilateral agencies and lending institutions.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said this year’s PDF is broader compared to previous ones.

“It’s a broader PDF. We have a combination of loans, grants and technical assistance,” the Finance chief told reporters in a press briefing yesterday following the PDF.

President Aquino said the PDF comes at the perfect time given the optimism in the new administration.

“This is the first development forum to be held during this administration and it comes at the right time. Our nation has always aspired for an economy where the growth powered by private enterprise is felt by a larger number of people,” Aquino said.

He reiterated his commitments that his administration is focused on curbing corruption and reducing poverty.

Purisima said that there would be another PDF next year and would be focused on specific development projects that would be implemented with the help of development partners.

The Finance chief said multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) are now more aware of the government’s programs because of the PDF.

“They now have a better idea of what we are trying to do and align their projects with our programs,” Purisima said.

President Aquino said that in a short span of time, his administration is fulfilling its promise to curb corruption and reduce poverty.

“We did not need a miracle to make this happen. No wheel was reinvented here. We are simply doing things right. A few things needed to happen and we worked doubly hard to make them happen and the result is a transparent, accountable government, worth of our people’s trust,” he said.

World Bank Philippines country director Bert Hofman, co-chair of the PDF said the forum sends an important signal not only to development partners in the country but also to the global community that the new administration is ready to work with the domestic and international development partners in pursuit of its objectives.