SA tantiya ng Asian Development Bank (ADB), tataas hanggang sa 6% ang gross domestic product (GDP) rate ng Pilipinas ngayong 2024.
Mas mataas ito kumpara sa GDP rate na naitala noong 2023 sa 5.6%.
Mahalagang pamantayan ng pamahalaan ang GDP rate o ang kabuuang halaga ng mga produktong nagawa sa loob ng itinakdang panahon.
Lumalakas ang ekonomiya kung mas malaki ang growth rate o ang taas ng lundag sa GDP.
Hahantong naman sa recession o pagliit ng siklo ng negosyo kung negatibo ang GDP rate—tanda ng isang mahinang ekonomiya.
Ngunit ayon sa Country Director ng ADB sa Pilipinas na si Pavit Ramachandran, implementasyon ng government policies ang problema.
“I think it’s not the lack of laws or regulations in the Philippines—it got very robust. I think the implementation can be improved,” ayon kay Pavit Ramachandran, Country Director for the Philippines, Asian Development Bank.
At para makamit ang 6% GDP growth rate, kailangang may diskarte dito ang pamahalaan.
“Fixed investment flaws are maybe quite behind. Infrastructure and logistics gaps continue to hinder the manufacturing sector. But also, a deterrent to bringing investments in the public sector,” dagdag ni Ramachandran.
“A more robust financial system is going to be essential. So, deepening of the financial markets including at the LGU level. So, access to pension funds. More competition to the financial sector,” dagdag pa nito.
Ayon sa ADB, matagal na silang nagpapautang sa pamahalaan para suportahan ang infrastructure development ng Pilipinas.
Sa Build-Build-Build program ng Duterte administration at Build-Better-More program naman sa Marcos administration.
Mga malalaking proyekto na hatid ay trabaho at pag-unlad ng ekonomiya.
Mungkahi naman nila sa pamahalaan, resolbahin ang matagal nang problema sa right of way para hindi maaapektuhan ang mga ginagawang proyekto.
“The right of way issues that directly converge with the land acquisition and land issues is extremely important. Again, there’s I think no quick fix to this. ‘But you also want to do it in a way that enables some of these infrastructure projects to proceed at ease,” saad ni Ramachandran.
Ang Malolos Clark Railway Project (MCRP) at South Commuter Railway Project (SCRP) ay ilan lamang sa big ticket projects na pinopondohan ngayon ng ADB.
Pinatutugunan din nila sa pamahalaan ang isyu sa red tape lalo na sa pag-aapply ng business permit ng mga negosyante.
Binuo ng pamahalaan ang Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) para solusyonan ang problemang ito.
“A lot of it boils down to the ease of doing business. You know, when you talk to the private sector that is the hurdle that needs to be surmounted. Its directives, the amounts of permits or clearances. The amount of navigation that needs to be done through the system, that’s challenging,” ani Ramachandran.
Sa huli, umaasa naman ang ADP na matutugunan ang mga hamon na ito.
At makahabol sa ibang mga bansa ang Pilipinas sa infrastructure development, pati na ang pagpapamura ng singil sa kuryente.
“I think, one of the main reasons why investors are a bit reluctant in investing in the Philippines is the infrastructure—the infrastructure gap. So that is quite important to address,” ayon naman kay Cristina Lozano, Principal Country Specialist, ADB Philippines.
“Energy cost for instance is very high. And that’s why improving the energy sector, improving the infrastructure in energy and telecommunications transport as well will be critical,” dagdag pa nito.
