The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) are currently conducting provincial consultations about a long-term vision in fostering economic growth and development in the country.

The first of its three provincial consultations being in Bohol, Gov. Edgar Chatto met with NEDA-ANRES Director Mercedita Sombilla, GGGI Manager Rhoel Bernardo, GGGI-TA Project Team Leader Rico Ancog, GGGI-TA Project Team Researcher Karen Quilloy, NEDA-ANRES Economic Development Specialist Ralph Mariano, and representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, the academe and other stakeholders Thursday.

Dir. Sombilla said that NEDA’s AMBISYON NATIN 2040 must ensure that net assets continue to be realized while fostering economic growth and development.

She stressed that the national government’s long-term goals must be properly interpreted in the local level and their agencies are interested on how Bohol is going to develop its own development plan.

Ambisyon Natin 2040 is a long-term (25 years) vision for the Philippines.

It is a vision not a plan, a basis for unity among Filipinos, an anchor for development planning across administrations, and a guide for engaging with international development partners.

It is a long-term vision (LTV) process with an advisory committee conducting public consultations and technical studies through on-line social media engagements and public forums.

It was earlier learned that an overwhelming majority of Filipinos, that is, 79.2%, aspire for a simple and comfortable life; meaning, that they are earning enough, and where all of their children are college-educated.

This so-called overwhelming majority came up with the VISION OF FILIPINOS FOR SELF, that says: “In 2040, we will all enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle, secure in the knowledge that we have enough for our daily needs and unexpected expenses, that we can plan and prepare for our own and our children’s future. Our family lives together in a place of our own, and we have the freedom to go where we desire, protected and enabled by a clean, efficient, and fair government.”

To achieve this, hunger, unemployment and poverty are the main economic issues that must be addressed by a clean, efficient and service-oriented government.

Eradication of corruption is the most important aspect of government service that needs to be addressed, according to the studies made.

In rounding off all that which an average Filipino would want for the country, this VISION OF FILIPINOS FOR COUNTRY was hatched: “The Philippines shall be a country where all citizens are free from hunger and poverty, have equal opportunities, enabled by fair and just society that is governed with order and unity. A nation where families live together, thriving in vibrant, culturally diverse, and resilient communities.”

Gov. Chatto reminisced of the years 1995 and 1996 when the Provincial Leadership then was under the helm of then Governor and now First District Congressman Rene Relampagos, with himself as Vice-Governor, when Bohol hardly had a concrete framework as a province.

After so much brainstorming, their group came up with the province’s very own Vision and Mission Statements for sustainable development addressing unemployment, poverty, health care, environmental protection and introduced concrete educational reforms.

Bohol was the very first province which was able to come up with its own Environment Code created in 1991.

As First District Congressman then, and in collaboration with Sen. Richard Gordon, Gov. Chatto fathered the Tourism Act of 2009, the so-called Bible of Philippine Tourism.

As a province, the governor believes that we must arm ourselves with all the needed reforms and policies, undergo consultative processes, which are considered as baselines of where we want to go and what we want to achieve as a people.

Bohol has developed initiatives and institutionalized much-needed programs for sustainable development.

“This is why Bohol is called the “darling” of  Official Development Assistance (ODAs) because it is a way of life of Bohol’s governance wherein we and our partners have similar visions for Bohol,” Gov. Chatto said proudly.

He added that Boholanos also make sure that our local agenda are consistent with that of the national government.

As the national development agenda has already been laid before us, he said, “let this be our share and our challenge: how can we contribute to national growth and development as a people?”

Luzon and Mindanao consultations would soon be made in Pampanga and Davao, respectively. (JLV/PGBh/EDCom)