AFTER almost a year in office, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Director General Cayetano Paderanga Jr. was finally confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday. He vowed to further improve government planning and spending throughout his second term in the government’s socioeconomic- planning agency.
Paderanga said he was thankful to the CA and the President for their trust in him, and said more work awaits him at the Neda. This is Paderanga’s second term as Neda director general; he first served in the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino.
He said the questions and issues raised at the CA on his appointment as Socioeconomic Planning secretary made him realize that he must focus on improving lower-level planning, as well as on helping the Development Budget Coordination Committee address issues on the quality and rate of government spending.
“I am thankful to God and the CA and, of course, to the President for the trust they have given to me. I’m relieved the hearings are done. More work awaits me in the Neda,” Paderanga said.
Besides improving planning, Paderanga also aims to continue streamlining the Investment Coordination Committee process to ensure that the safeguards of project approval are kept.
This, he said, is one of the main concerns of the CA, as well as other parties that questioned his appointment as Neda chief. However, Paderanga said this only strengthened his resolve to ensure that the safeguards were kept and improved.
He expressed the hope that the changes and improvements he envisions would help the country achieve its aim of improving its ranking at the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY). He said while the country slipped to the 41st rank in the 2011 WCY from 39th the previous year, this only reflected the data culled from earlier surveys.
A better ranking for the Philippines in the WCY next year will be the result of the improvements being done by the Aquino administration in tax administration, planning and policymaking, and other areas of government that are vital in the WCY.
Paderanga’s confirmation had been opposed by former Foreign secretary Roberto Romulo and Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) director Vivian Yuchengco.
Yuchengco questioned Paderanga’s competence and credibility since, she said, his six-month stint as president of the PSE was not only “unproductive” but also the shortest in the history of the local bourse.
Romulo questioned Paderanga’s management record as chief executive officer of CIBI Information Inc. and alleged that Paderanga failed to remit CIBI’s taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. “I had documentary evidence since I had a letter from CIBI. The letter satisfied the requirements of the CA,” Paderanga said.
Besides being Neda director general from 1990 to 1992, Paderanga was also a member of the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas from 1990 to 1992 and from 1993 to 1999. He was also the chairman of the Philippine Social Science Council from 1999 to 2001 and president of the Philippine Economics Society from 1998 to 1999.
IN PHOTO -- Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile congratulates Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. after his confirmation by the Commission on Appointments as National Economic and Development Authority director general on Wednesday. Also in photo are (from left) Reps. Roilo Golez, Rex Gatchalian and Rodolfo Antonino. --PRIB
