Gov’t adopts 10-point policy agenda to hasten economic recovery

FILE PHOTO President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang. ROBINSON NIÑAL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Duterte government has adopted a 10-point policy agenda to hasten and sustain the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 166 on March 21, a copy of which was issued to reporters on Wednesday.

“The State hereby adopts the Ten-Point Policy Agenda to sustain and accelerate economic recovery, and to drive broad-based expansions across various productive sectors, in the midst of challenges brought about by the continued persistence of COVID-19,” the order reads.

The 10-point policy agenda are the following:

• Strengthen healthcare capacity
• Accelerate and expand the vaccination program
• Further reopen the economy and expand public transport capacity
• Resume face-to-face learning
• Reduce restrictions on domestic travel and standardize local government unit (LGU) requirements
• Relax requirements for international travel
• Accelerate digital transformation through legislative measures
• Provide for enhanced and flexible emergency measures through legislation
• Shift the focus of decision-making and government reporting to more useful and empowering metrics
• Medium-term preparation for pandemic resilience

READ: Pandemic ‘exposed systemic ills’ in PH’s healthcare system —Robredo

Under the order, all government departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities are tasked to ensure that policies, measures, and programs are aligned with the said principles while LGUs are encouraged to do the same.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 shall ensure the agenda’s implementation.

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority will monitor the compliance of concerned agencies and periodically report to the president.

EDV