00:00 Infrastructure development is key to economic recovery and transformation.
00:04 Hence in the ninth convening of the NEDA board with the president presiding,
00:08 among the points of agreement include the facilitation of business processing
00:13 by way of electronic and/or online transactions.
00:16 Likewise, the unit cost sharing scheme between the national government and the LGUs
00:21 was also on the agenda,
00:23 as well as the DNR's role in maintaining a clean and sustainable environment,
00:28 as our Kenneth Paciente tells us more in this report.
00:31 Various infrastructure projects of the current administration can be further speeded up.
00:38 This after some high-impact initiatives have been approved
00:41 at the ninth meeting of the NEDA board earlier,
00:44 with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. presiding.
00:47 This includes the proposed EO that aims to expedite the processing of licenses,
00:52 clearances, and permits for the government's infrastructure flagship projects or IFPs.
00:57 Under this EO, government agencies to include LGUs are encouraged
01:01 to further simplify the processes and requirements for the IFPs.
01:06 EO facilitates electronic applications or application submissions
01:12 to the concerned agencies and local government units or LGUs,
01:16 including the payments and issuance of receipts.
01:21 This EO encourages a whole-of-government approach
01:24 by directing national government agencies
01:27 to automate and computerize their databases.
01:30 The ARTA has been tasked to monitor the compliance of agencies.
01:33 Balisacan added that the DNR is already a part of the NEDA board committee
01:37 in infrastructure or infracom
01:40 to ensure the environment can be protected
01:42 as construction of infrastructure projects takes place.
01:45 The national government-local government unit cost-sharing scheme
01:49 was also discussed in the meeting for the financing of the projects.
01:53 With these policy updates,
01:55 the Marcos administration reaffirms its commitment
01:58 to aggressively advance in infrastructure development
02:02 in order to enable social and economic transformation
02:06 and support the attainment of our development goals in the medium term.
02:10 Meanwhile, the NEDA supports a complete cessation of POGO operations in the country.
02:14 Balisacan explained the government wants legitimate investments,
02:18 ones that will not result in negative perception.
02:21 He also said the social costs are too steep
02:24 and overshadow whatever amount of revenue POGOs provide.
02:28 We have been moving around all over in many countries,
02:32 cities, attracting investment to the country,
02:37 marketing our country as a good place to do business.
02:41 We are not going around to attract business of this kind.
02:47 We want investments, inflows that will promote not only the economic
02:56 but also the social aspects of our development.
02:59 But how about the revenues that will be lost when the POGOs cease operations?
03:04 Balisacan insists the country can make up for these through other investments.
03:09 I think we do.
03:10 Look at Thailand, look at Indonesia,
03:13 look at all these other countries around us.
03:16 They don't depend on those kind of businesses.
03:21 Secretary Balisacan also said he will personally recommend
03:24 to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
03:26 to shut down all POGO operations in the country.
03:29 Kenneth, patiente for the nation.
