NEDA chief to meet with leading developers

Newly appointed National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Romulo Neri will meet with the country’s leading developers to discuss prospects and forecasts on the Philippine economy.

Neri will be the guest of honor of the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) for its first business meeting in 2003. SHDA national president Jesus B. Atencio announced that SHDA, the country’s largest and leading organization of subdivision and housing developers will hold a forum on the Philippine economy at 12 p.m. at the Manila A Foundation Room of Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City on Jan. 14.

"The SHDA Forum on the Philippine economy will provide vital information that will equip SHDA developers with the necessary tools to move forward in addressing the challenges ahead," Atencio said.

Atencio added that key players from the private sector and the housing industry are ready to respond and support President Arroyo’s effort to utilize housing as a pump priming catalyst to spur economic activities.

Meanwhile, SHDA Chairman Teofisto L. Guingona III said that planners and policy makers should always note the 16 percent multiplier effect of housing on the economy. More importantly, Guingona underscored positive repercussions of a revitalized housing industry on some 80 industries attached to housing. Among the industries, which are directly affected are construction supply, cement, steel, roofing materials, electrical, windows and doors fabrication, gravel and sand and aggregates, transportation and trucking, appliances, furniture and other utilities and services.

Further, Atencio added that the housing industry could be harnessed to address unemployment and underemployment since 30 percent of the cost of the house goes to labor. Atencio said a boom in the housing industry would absorb huge percentage of the 900,000 new entrants to labor force annually.

Atencio added that also invited in the fsorum is Professor Tomas B. Lopez of the Asian Institute of Management. Lopez who is also the president of Pamantasan ng Makati will talk about prospects for the Filipino consumers.

SHDA members and those interested to attend the forum may call the SHDA Secretariat at tel. Nos. 8998275 or 8900323 or e-mail at [email protected] for further inquiries.