With his first budget statement to Congress President Aquino proposes a nearly 20% increase in the education budget from 175 billion pesos to 207 billion. This coupled with a nearly 20 billion peso increase or near tripling of the 4P’s or the conditional cash transfer program aimed at 2.3 million indigent families to improve school attendance represents a significant investment in the human capital of the nation. For all intents and purposes, we can call this an education budget. Let us now examine why.

As the US and Europe brace for tough times ahead, the economic managers in the Philippines unveiled their expectations for an acceleration of growth from 6-7% for CY’s 2010 and 2011. The means by which they hoped to achieve such a feat which is 2-3 percentage points above the past decade’s trajectory of 4%? Well assuming the rest of the economy maintains its recent rate of expansion (doubtful given the dour state of the world economy), this gap would be achieved through PPP’s or public-private partnerships in infrastructure brought on by an improved investment climate.

Unfortunately, even if the government were able to exceed its targets and spur economic growth of 9% a year up to 2020, the rate needed to double average incomes in a population which is itself growing by close to 2% annually, we would only have attained the same level of income that Thailand had reached in 2006/07.

2010 SONA President Benigno S. Aquino III
State of the Nation Address
of His Excellency
Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
to the Congress of the Philippines
Session Hall of the House of Representatives
July 26, 2010
[Batasan Pambansa Complex, …

Speech by Senator Benigno S. “Noynoy” Aquino III delivered on January 21, 2010 before the members of the Makati Business Club at the Peninsula Manila Hotel, Makati City
Four-part video of the speech, courtesy of NoyTV …

Economy: Walang Maiiwan!
Action Plan on the Economy
Underlying all the problems and weaknesses of the country and the economy is corruption and the weakening of our democratic institutions. We will restore trust in government …

Universal Health Care for All Filipinos
Action Plan on Health Care
The Philippine public health system, like our educational system, is in a sad state of disrepair. We need not repeat today the litany of …

Aquino-Roxas Mindanao Peace and Development Agenda
Action Plan on Peace and Development in Mindanao
Peace and Security
Transparent and consultative peace process

Workable peace is possible only if supported by a broad, active and informed peace constituency.

I …

Covenant with the Urban Poor
Action Plan on Urban Poverty
Our country’s most valuable resource is its people.
Every Filipino has the right to basic human needs, a decent standard of living, and the equal opportunity …