Government gets commitment from agencies for anti-poverty programs

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration received commitments from various development partners and multilateral agencies for its anti-poverty programs and other reform measures.

The commitments were unveiled during the Philippine Development Forum (PDF) held yesterday in Manila.

This year’s PDF would be the first for the Aquino administration that 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,” Purisima told reporters during a press briefing following the forum.

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.

The President reiterated the administration’s commitments in curbing corruption and reducing poverty.

He 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,” Aquino said.

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

He said multilateral agencies that included the World Bank (WB), 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.

WB Philippines country director Bert Hofman, co-chairman 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 Aquino administration is ready to work with domestic and international development partners in pursuit of its objectives.

“Economic growth remains a key ingredient in poverty alleviation. While the Aquino administration is off to a good start with record growth in 2010, sustaining high growth for the medium term remains a key challenge,” Hofman said.

“We are looking forward to discuss with the government its plans on how to sustain this growth, which is to create the jobs that would enable poor Filipinos to achieve a better life for themselves and their families,” he added.