President Marcos said he was satisfied with the country's economic achievements last year, and ordered Cabinet officials to make the feats be known to the public.
“I'm quite satisfied. I’m even proud. I would go as far as saying I’m proud of the things that we have achieved,” Marcos said during the 24th National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Meeting at Malacañan on Thursday, Jan. 23, to discuss the Philippine Development Report 2024.
The President underscored the need to resonate to the public the achievements that benefit ordinary Filipinos.
“But we have to make it known to people that this is what we are doing. So, it has to be in a language that is easily digestible and in a language that makes sense to Juan dela Cruz. We’re falling behind in making the connection between what we are doing to the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” he added.
He further said that the government must explain why other projects are still ongoing and highlight their long-term benefits.
Marcos mentioned the need to highlight the importance of opening the Bataan-Cavite Bridge, which he said, would ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila and open up all other places in Central Luzon and Calabarzon.
He also called for a thorough and consolidated report on the government's efforts to ensure food security, stressing that such reports should explain how these initiatives would benefit Filipino families, why they are crucial for the future, and how they improve overall quality of life.
According to NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, for 2025, the government aims to sustain a higher growth trajectory—a gross domestic product (GDP) growth target of 6.0-8.0 percent compared to last year’s 6.0 -6.5 percent target.
They also intend to headline inflation rate within 2.0 -4.0 percent; and poverty incidence below 13.2 percent this year and 9.0 percent in 2028.
Balisacan said NEDA will continue to drive social economic transformation by diversifying and developing new growth drivers, enabling the adoption of new technologies, raising economic productivity and establishing meaningful collaborations with various stakeholders.
It will also work together with Congress to secure development priorities to ensure fiscal programs support growth, and institutionalize the regular conduct of monitoring and evaluation and integration in budgeting, planning, and investment programming.