Stratbase ADR Institute has launched a book that lists strategies for the next administration to pursue that includes enhancing investment opportunities and tapping into the public private partnerships.
The newly- elected officials should strive to ensure economic development by increasing investment opportunities and exploring more possibilities for Public Private Partnerships, to address the country’s growing trade deficits and to endure spikes in domestic oil prices, which reflect global market movements.
Former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo for monetary and economics sector, said in a book entitled Beyond the Crisis: A Strategic Agenda for the Next President,” recently launched by the Stratbase ADR Institute, said the economic scarring (from the pandemic) has become a persistent challenge to recovery.
“The next government must be able to recognize the role of good private and public institutions, promote the need for better physical, health, and digital infrastructure, implement a green sustainable finance, and craft appropriate legislative measures in attracting investments.”
The paper argues that priority must be put in health mitigation to minimize further risks of uncertainty, as experienced in the first two years of the pandemic,” Guinigundo said.
Strengthen healthcare system
He added that the next administration should pursue policies and legislative measures that promote investments to address the health and economic ramifications of the pandemic—anchoring growth and resilience models on investments and building cross-border partnerships and collaborations for long-term solutions in protecting against economic crises and stress.
“[We should] strengthen the health care system with investments filling the gaps in this sector addressing the impact of Covid-19 and potential issues that may arise and refocus on governance issues such as poverty and inequality and corruption and bureaucracy for sustainable growth and development while expanding market reach and investment,” he said.
Strategic alliances
Noting that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused fuel and commodity price hikes that would lead to faster inflation, Stratbase ADR Institute president Victor Andres Manhit said a strategic approach is necessary to shield Filipinos from further price shocks.
“In the face of various security challenges, the incoming administration should work toward formulating a responsive and strategic foreign policy that allows the country to pursue its strategic interests and positively contribute to regional affairs,” he said.
“Achieving this would entail the configuration and protection of our national sovereignty, particularly in the context of the West Philippine Sea issue and the evolving international order,” he added.
Manhit said the incoming leaders must also foster multilateral and inclusive cooperation through alliances and strategic partnerships with like-minded states including the United States, Japan, Australia, and the European Union.
Likewise, economic diplomacy must be prioritized through participation in regional and global initiatives.
“Today, more than ever, we need disruptive leadership and an innovative government that will put game-changing reforms in place. We need a government with crystal-clear vision, and one that is ready to harness the nation’s talents, craft a sustainable development strategy, and uphold, at all times, the rule of law,” Manhit added.
“[We should also] strengthen the country’s role in international politics and its inherent state power by developing its military, economic, scientific, and cultural capabilities and strengthening alliances and strategic partnerships,” he added.
National Security Strategy
For his part, Dr. Renato Cruz De Castro, De La Salle University Trustee and Program Convenor for Stratbase, urged the next government to formulate a new National Security Strategy based on the 2016 Arbitral Ruling to direct attention and resources.
“[We should] incorporate non-traditional security priorities, such as public health, in the National Security Strategy and the National Development Plan while continuing the efforts to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program with a specific focus on asymmetrical warfare capabilities,” he said.
De Castro said the defense budget must be increased to effect these reforms, especially with the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program and allocate funds to resources needed in addressing current and potential security threats.
Climate-resilient farm sector
Dr. Carlos Primo David, professor at the National Institute of Geological Sciences at University of the Philippines Diliman, and Stratbase Trustee and Program Convenor, said the next government should work for a climate-resilient agriculture sector that would advance production and growth through a government-industry synergized strategy, he said.
It should also promote crop overproduction and food processing with a guaranteed purchase agreement with the private sector and/or government.
“[We should] optimize smallholder farms instead of mechanization and the promotion of land consolidation strategies and encourage the creation of social enterprise farms which will be the main training ground for our next generation of farmers—an ecosystem consisting of these important elements is what is referred to as food production areas,” he added.
Corruption Prevention
Dr. Francisco Magno, professor at De La Salle University and Stratbase Trustee and Program Convenor, sought a comprehensive approach on corruption prevention strategic to include institutional capacity building and higher transparency and accountability in integrity development measures/programs for all levels of the career service.
“[We should also] enable the interoperability of government in the delivery of service through e-governance to manage the interdependencies across areas of government and among levels of implementation in national government agencies and local government units,” he said.
“[They also need to] anchor the governance agenda on the Sustainable Development Goals through localization the context of the need to mobilize research capacity, analyze data, harness technology, and build knowledge partnerships to generate solutions to real-world problems,” he added.
Political, electoral reforms
For his part, Dr. Ronald Mendoza, dean and professor at Ateneo School of Government, said the next government must prioritize political and electoral reforms, not economic alone, to address deep-seated structural weaknesses.
“[We need to] promote inequality reduction in the lens of governance to achieve political stability, crisis resilience and sustained economic development,” Mendoza said.
The next administration, he added, must review implementation strategies of laws passed and revisit stalled measures that address the inequality issue, such as TRAIN, Bangsamoro Basic Law, Rice Tariffication Law, Universal Health Care Law, 4Ps Law; and the Rightsizing the National Government, Freedom of Information Law, Anti-Political Dynasty Law etc.
Disruptive leadership
At this juncture, he said, the country will need a disruptive leadership and an innovative government that will put game-changing reforms in place.
“We need a government with crystal-clear vision, and one that is ready to harness the nation’s talents, craft a sustainable development strategy, and uphold, at all times, the rule of law,” according to Manhit.
Stratbase ADR brought together 16 experts from various fields to craft this strategic government agenda with resilience and sustainability in mind, taking into consideration the next six years and beyond political timelines.
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