The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) IX spearheaded the conduct of a one-day planning workshop for the formulation of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028 on September 7, 2022 at Mardale Hotel, Pagadian City. A total of 150 participants from the regional line agencies, local government units (LGUs), state universities and colleges (SUCs) and representatives from the private sector participated in the event.
The workshop aimed to identify issues and gaps arising from the assessment of ZamPen RDP 2017-2022; set goals, objectives and targets to address the issues; formulate strategies; recommend amendment, research areas and passage of legislative agenda; and, identify priority programs and projects to be integrated in the plan.
The event started with a plenary session to present the purpose of the activity and the guidelines in the formulation of the plan. Director Phlorita A. Ridao of NEDA IX emphasized that the crafting of the successor plan would be aligned with the long-term vision of the Filipinos to have a “matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay” by 2040, the 8-point agenda and the Philippine Development Plan, 2023-2028.
The Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 Preliminary Framework was also presented as reference in the workshop. The overall goal is to reinvigorate job creation and poverty reduction by steering the economy back to its high-growth path, and more importantly, into an inclusive and resilient society.
OIC-Director Reverie Pure Sapaen, Governance Staff of the NEDA Central Office graced the occasion and presented the updates on the country’s accomplishments in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also shared that Region IX ranked 3rd with the greatest number of submitted best practices in the attainment of the goals on life below water (SDG No. 14); poverty, hunger and life on land (SDG No. 1, 2 and 15); decent work and economic growth (SDG No. 8) and; reducing inequalities (SDG No. 10).
The participants were grouped into their respective sectoral committees to deliberate on the assessment of RDP 2017-2022 and discuss the targets for the new RDP. The participants from the regional line agencies and the private sector shared valuable insights on the challenges and gaps encountered in accomplishing the plan targets including how to address them to attain the region’s development goals. The discussion also included a review of the Zamboanga Peninsula vision as The center of Agri-fishery industries in the Philippines. The input generated in the workshop will be processed and consolidated for further enhancement and for presentation during the series of provincial and regional consultations.
