Saturday, June 23, 2007 Investors seek ‘realistic’ planning By Jeanette P. Malinao Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE country’s joint development planning among various sectors works better in theory than in reality, said Michael J. Yaxley, regional director of Halcrow, an international company providing the services of consulting engineers.
A panel member of yesterday’s Philippine Investment Conference discussion on investing in infrastructure, Yaxley pointed out that in the Philippines, some projects are based on the availability of funds rather than on needs.
There is supposed to be private sector participation in planning bodies such as the National Economic Development Authority (Neda), he said.
“But it does not happen in practice as it should,” he added.
The Neda is “the Philippines’ social and economic development planning and policy coordinating body.”
But Yaxley noted that Neda is sometimes bypassed by the Office of the President.
“In theory it works well, but in practice it doesn’t,” he said.
A conference participant also criticized government planners for shifting the list of priority projects and in doing so, deleting from the list “legally and technically feasible” projects that they have worked on for 12 years.
“We hope for changes and reform in government,” lamented one participant of the 2nd Philippine Investment Conference, which gathered some 400 business leaders from all over the world.
The two-day conference, organized by Euromoney Conferences, was held at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort and ended yesterday.
Russell Lamb, regional director for infrastructure and project finance of Ernst and Young, said it’s time for the Philippines to learn from the experiences of the rest of the world.
Another participant described as “a complete disgrace” the “chaos” in airport terminals in the country, including that in Manila.
He said the country could not encourage businessmen and tourists to fly or travel if the situation continues. “It’s a nightmare,” he said.
Anneli Lontoc, undersecretary for road transport of the Department of Transportation and Communications, assured that there are “upgrading and rehabilitation” works being lined up.
She also said the President already issued a memorandum directing the department to review all maritime and air transport laws so these can be improved.
