President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. convened with Senate President Chiz Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and economic managers in Malacañang to guarantee funding for high-priority government projects in the 2025 national budget. The meeting, held Thursday, focused on aligning efforts with the Philippine Development Plan to achieve economic goals, particularly in food security, infrastructure, and business climate improvement.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan emphasized the importance of these initiatives, many supported by development partners and official development assistance (ODA). “The President stressed the need to ensure that the administration’s key projects, aligned with the Philippine Development Plan, are achieved,” Balisacan said.
Balisacan also addressed concerns over political tensions between President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, asserting that such issues would not derail the country’s economic momentum. “These political noises have no impact on the economy. What matters is that our policies remain sound and sustained,” he said.
The Marcos administration aims to secure an “A” credit rating within two years, following a positive credit outlook recently granted by an American credit rating agency. Balisacan highlighted efforts to diversify the economy and strengthen its fundamentals to withstand global uncertainties.
“Our economy is now more stable and diversified than ever before, but we must continue strengthening key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing alongside services to ensure sustainability and resilience,” he added.
