Last May 26, President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced new appointments to his economic team –Benjamin Diokno as Department of Finance secretary, Alfredo Pascual to the Department of Trade and Industry, and Manuel Bonoan to the Department of Public Works and Highways – emphasizing his incoming administration’s focus on steering the economy out of slump.
Marcos said the first priority of his administration would be the economy, “that’s why we have been very, very careful in choosing the economic team.
Earlier, Arsenio Balisacan was tapped to return to his old job as economic planning secretary and head of National Economic Development Authority.
“I know the economic team is critical and that is what people are looking [forward] to. I think we have found the best people for it who are able to look forward and to anticipate what the conditions will be for the Philippines [and] the rest of the world in the coming years.” Marcos said.
While local business groups are giving an early thumbs up to the appointees, what is certain is the gravity of economic challenges ahead, even in the wake of a better-than-expected first-quarter gross domestic product growth.
We have invited outgoing NEDA secretary Karl Kendrick Chua to discuss what should be the top of the agenda to keep the Philippines’ post-COVID economic recovery on track.
