Press Release - Co-Sponsorship Speech | Sen. Joel Villanueva

SENATE BILL NO. 2878 UNDER COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 346
Economy, Planning and Development Act

Mr. President, esteemed colleagues:

It is my honor and privilege to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2878 under Committee Report No. 346, or the Economy, Planning and Development Act. We thank the distinguished sponsor, the hardworking chairperson of the Committee on Economic Affairs, Senator Migz Zubiri, for this very important piece of legislation.

Ginoong Pangulo, napakahalaga po ng katungkulang ginagampanan ng NEDA na siyang nangunguna sa pananaliksik, pagbabalangkas at pangangasiwa ng mga plano at polisiya para sa pag-unlad ng ating bayan. Ang mga planong ito ang gumagabay sa ating pamahalaan sa paglalatag ng mga estratehiya upang matugunan ang mga suliranin kagaya ng kahirapan at kakulangan sa trabaho.

NEDA also plays a pivotal role in identifying key sectors and projects that will drive economic growth, facilitating public-private partnerships, and coordinating programs across government agencies to ensure that developmental goals are met and policies are effectively and efficiently implemented.

NEDA also chairs the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Inter-Agency Council, created under Republic Act No. 11962, which was principally authored and sponsored by this Representation. The Council is responsible for conducting a comprehensive analysis of the country's employment situation and formulating the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Plan to address unemployment, underemployment, and other challenges in the labor market. Ang TPB Plan ang masterplan ng ating bansa pagdating sa paglikha ng trabaho. We cannot emphasize enough the significance of NEDA in the pursuit of this endeavor.

Hence, the passage of this bill reorganizing the NEDA into the Department of Economy, Planning and Development and reconstituting the NEDA Board into the Economy and Development Council is crucial towards ensuring that the agency has all the necessary tools to effectively execute its expanded mandates and pursue enhanced policy coherence to achieve our economic and developmental goals.

Sa pamamagitan din po ng panukalang ito, mas mapapaigting pa ang koordinasyon sa stakeholders, kasama na ang people's organizations,