The Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the World Bank is jointly sponsoring a roundtable discussion (RTD) on Infrastructure as Building Blocks to Development on May 16, 2006 at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
Having identified the lack of infrastructure as the culprit to economic growth and poverty reduction in the Philippines, the RTD hopes to solicit new insights and perspectives on the infrastructure challenges that need to be further looked into and how best to meet them.
Though the Philippines has relatively high access levels to water, sanitation and electricity, service levels have failed to keep up with rapid population growth and urbanization. High access rates mask the low quality of infrastructure services. Poor business environment; weakness in planning, coordination and financing; and, a decrease in private sector involvement are some of the reasons cited behind the inadequate provision of infrastructure in the Philippines.
Leading the RTD is a group of multisectoral experts composed of UP Economics Professor and former NEDA Director-General Felipe Medalla, Congressman Joey Salceda, Dr. Ming Zhang of the World Bank, Mr. Donald Dee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Ruben Reinoso of the NEDA, and Assistant Secretary Austere Panadero of the DILG.
In particular, Congressman Salceda will talk about the bill amending the Build-Operate-Transfer policy of the government that he authored and which is currently pending in the House of Representatives. Others speakers are expected to dwell on infrastructure issues that affect their respective sectors.
Representatives from the academe, business, government and NGOs are expected to attend and actively participate in the forum. Information about the event may be coursed through the PIDS at telephone number 892-4059.
Having identified the lack of infrastructure as the culprit to economic growth and poverty reduction in the Philippines, the RTD hopes to solicit new insights and perspectives on the infrastructure challenges that need to be further looked into and how best to meet them.
Though the Philippines has relatively high access levels to water, sanitation and electricity, service levels have failed to keep up with rapid population growth and urbanization. High access rates mask the low quality of infrastructure services. Poor business environment; weakness in planning, coordination and financing; and, a decrease in private sector involvement are some of the reasons cited behind the inadequate provision of infrastructure in the Philippines.
Leading the RTD is a group of multisectoral experts composed of UP Economics Professor and former NEDA Director-General Felipe Medalla, Congressman Joey Salceda, Dr. Ming Zhang of the World Bank, Mr. Donald Dee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Ruben Reinoso of the NEDA, and Assistant Secretary Austere Panadero of the DILG.
In particular, Congressman Salceda will talk about the bill amending the Build-Operate-Transfer policy of the government that he authored and which is currently pending in the House of Representatives. Others speakers are expected to dwell on infrastructure issues that affect their respective sectors.
Representatives from the academe, business, government and NGOs are expected to attend and actively participate in the forum. Information about the event may be coursed through the PIDS at telephone number 892-4059.
