The Aquino administration is planning to focus on more infrastructure projects outside Metro Manila, which will allow the rest of the country to benefit from economic growth, according to Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. Purisima highlighted the need for infrastructure in areas outside Metro Manila, particularly airp
The Aquino administration is planning to focus on more infrastructure projects outside Metro Manila, which will allow the rest of the country to benefit from economic growth, according to Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.
Purisima highlighted the need for infrastructure in areas outside Metro Manila, particularly airports, to attract more investors into the country.
“The key really there is making sure that there is infrastructure outside Metro Manila to make it easier for businesses to do business,” he said.
“Policy-wise, the President has opened up the skies outside of Metro Manila because the focus of our tourism drive is really outside Metro Manila,” Purisima said.
“The focus of this administration is to make sure that we continue to increase investments and to continue to make it easier to do business in the country,” he said.
Purisima said there is much growth to be seen in the manufacturing and agriculture, which only produces 12% of the country's gross domestic product.
“That number alone shows that there is much to be improved in terms of use of technology, use of better seeds, better access to financing and making sure that we focus on investing in agriculture in areas that are less sustainable to disasters,” he said.
Purisima also said that the rehabilitation of Yolanda-hit areas is expected to bring sustainable growth to the economy as private firms pitch in to manage the reconstruction efforts.