Manufacturing eyed to address unemployment

IN ORDER to address the country's unemployment rate, the government is pushing for the promotion of the manufacturing sector in Mindanao to attract not only investors but also generate employment.

Secretary Florencio Abad of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in a brief press conference at the sidelines of the two-day Philippine Development Forum (PDF), which opened at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City Monday, told reporters that empowering Mindanao is one of the main thrust of the present administration as part of the government's effort to achieve inclusive growth.

With this, Abad said during the forum, which will be concluded on Tuesday, the government, along with its development partners will be discussing strategies and ways on how to achieve inclusive growth that the government is pushing.

Among the possible programs and strategies that the government is pushing include empowering manufacturing industry as well as the agricultural sector.

"Mindanao is an important agenda in this year's PDF. The landmark signing of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement is a step forward to peace and prosperity in Mindanao, and we are ever more hopeful that a progressive Mindanao can finally come full circle," Abad said.

For the agricultural sector, developing the coconut and fisheries sectors could boost Davao region's sustainable economic development by proving ample jobs for the locals.

"There's going to be a deliberate focus not just on the industry but very specific products and the question there that we should address is that how do we then improve infrastructure as well as business and financial environment so that these products can grow its scale (and later on) generate employment," he added.

In addition, Abad said this entails programs and initiatives that the government can work with potential investors.

"Today we will have a special session on Mindanao where we tackle its current situation and challenges, and lay down the government's plan to harness its potentials, spur development and ensure inclusiveness in the process," Abad added.

PDF aims to discuss the progress and challenges in sustaining high growth and promoting good governance that is being considered as one of the flagship program of the present administration in a bid to improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos. (Jereco O. Paloma)