At A Glance
- President Marcos' new investments czar Frederick D. Go said he will coordinate with the country's economic team to achieve growth targets.<br>Go assured that his new office will aid the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in realizing the Marcos administration's infrastructure flagship projects and public-private partnership projects.<br>The role of special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs was created to further make the country as a "top investment destination."<br>Go also sits as a member of the NEDA Board, which approves big-ticket infrastructure projects.
Frederick D. Go, President Marcos’ new special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs (SAPIEA), said he will coordinate with the country’s economic team to achieve growth targets.
Go, who previously held high-ranking roles in Robinsons Land Corp., assured that his new office will aid the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) realize the Marcos administration’s infrastructure flagship projects and public-private partnership projects.
“I have high respect for NEDA, and my office is here to help you and the other agencies make things happen to achieve economic development,” he said during a meeting with NEDA officials.
“My goal is to push interagency coordination within the Economic Development Group to harmonize efforts to realize a whole-of-government approach to growth,” he added.
Prior to his latest stint as Marcos’ economic czar, Go was instrumental in the building of the new terminal at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
Earlier, Marcos issued a statement noting that the office of SAPIEA aims to make the country a “top investment destination.” He is also obliged to ensure investment pledges are “realized and come to fruition.”
As per Executive Order No. 49, which legitimizes SAPIEA, Go will sit as a member of the NEDA board, which approves big-ticket infrastructure projects, and the Development Budget Coordination Committee, which oversees economic targets.
He is also directed to supervise the NEDA, Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade and Industry, and their attached agencies “to ensure effective and efficient implementation of their respective priority initiatives.”
Apart from attracting investments and ensuring ease of doing business, Go said that he will prioritize finding solutions to the bureaucratic challenges that the country faces.
“I think our goal to attract strategic investments into our country calls for number one, improving the ease of doing business, second reducing friction costs and third finding solutions to the navigate the bureaucratic challenges that we face,” he said during a press briefing on Friday last week.
“We have to make a strong case to the world why they should invest here in the Philippines,” he added.