Economic experts shared information on the current economy as well as long-term plans of the regions in the Visayas under the “new normal” during the PES Visayas Forum 2022 conducted by the Philippine Economic Society (PES), University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), and partner universities last Sept. 30.
PES and UPV, together with San Carlos University and Visayas State University and their partners, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) - Regions 6 and 8 and UPV Oeconomicus, initiated the forum with the theme, “Visayas Economy: Transitions, Trends, and Outlook in the New Normal” via Zoom.
NEDA-Region 8 Senior Development Specialist Maria Veda Eslopor, an alumna of UPV Tacloban College, talked about the Eastern Visayas Economic Performance assessed through the Presyo, Trabaho, Kita (PiTiK) Test.
She discussed the inflation rate in Eastern Visayas, the employment situation, and the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth for 2021.
The region is currently formulating its Regional Development Plan 2023-2028.
She also encouraged the public to get their booster shots for COVID-19 so that the economy can fully reopen.
Meanwhile, OIC Regional Director Engr. Arecio Casing, Jr. of NEDA - Region 6 discussed the economy of Western Visayas, which included the region’s economy during the “pandemic years,” the reopening of the economy in 2022, the medium-term socio-economic target, and the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028.
In his message, UPV Chancellor Clement Camposano said such activities “are very important and play a crucial role in forming public opinion.”
“This is really made more urgent by the fact that now we have to deal with digitally enabled disinformation… and with the flood of fake news circulating, I think the need of hard data and the need for intelligent sifting trough of the issues, this has become very crucial,” he said.
The forum was attended by various stakeholders from all over the Visayas and external regions.
As part of the program, Ms. Leah Escol and Edna Mae Casquero of UPV also took their oath as new members of PES. PES President Justine Diokno-Sicat administered the oath.
