Actions, not just words, must be taken by stakeholders from both the government and non-government sectors in order to address the country's short- and medium-term issues.
The foundation for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) would be laid out in the 8-point Socioeconomic Agenda in response to the economic program of the Marcos administration, which addresses short-term issues and medium-term constraints to reinvigorating job creation and reducing poverty.
The National Economic Development and Authority (NEDA) is working on the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, which is a six-year agenda that will serve as a roadmap for fostering an evaluation culture in the Philippines.
PDP will also flesh out the agenda that frames the country’s programs, policies, and legislative agendas for the next six years.
“In the next six years, we will endeavor to build the capacity of organizations to undertake high-quality evaluations for the public sector and initiate efforts to boost the public’s confidence in the evaluation process, results, and institutions of the government. “ NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
NEDA will also strive to produce timely and responsive data and evidence, as well as communicate these more effectively, to aid decision-making and encourage knowledge sharing.
As a result, NEDA is firmly committed to seeking out and acting on evidence to better design, manage, and deliver government programs and services.
However, formulating a plan is one thing, but implementing is another. One cannot plan something useful if the execution is perilous. If not properly implemented, it makes no sense and will only impede the country's progress.
The need to continuously monitor and evaluate whether the targets are being met should not be overlooked. M&E requires policymakers to act and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the plan's identified objectives are met. M&E also enables policymakers to learn from potential blunders and design better policies.
In the face of the challenges of fostering a vibrant evaluation culture in public policy, M&E systems would aid in the development of smarter and more effective actions, as well as initiatives that will benefit the Filipino people.
During this difficult period of economic recovery caused by the pandemic, stakeholders from the government and non-government sectors are urged to maintain an M&E community of practice.
NEDA hoped that the 9th M&E network forum would help to spur action toward the Filipino people's long-term vision of a deeply rooted, comfortable, and secure life for all.
Tags: #NEDA, #M&E, #PDP