PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte told world economic leaders that partnerships between the public and private sectors are necessary to address inclusion challenges brought by climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.
“Continued public-private partnership will be crucial to ensuring comprehensive recovery,” Mr. Duterte said in his speech at the Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Dialogue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on Thursday. “We certainly need ABAC’s support in helping those affected by the pandemic to rebuild their lives especially in the context of climate change.”
He said private and public players may work together to improve digitization efforts in rural communities.
Digital literacy must facilitate the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the online economy amid the pandemic, he said. “This will help increase the economic productivity of marginalized groups under the new normal.”
He said it is necessary to “establish the necessary infrastructure and accessible, stable and affordable energy supply in remote communities” to boost ongoing digital inclusion efforts.
He also highlighted the importance of establishing a national socio-economic development policy concept to protect workers amid the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the limitation of social protection programs in APEC communities,” he said.
Mr. Duterte also urged economic leaders to support the transition of developing countries to a low-carbon economy.
“The Philippines reiterates its goal for a scaled-up, sustainable and predictable support from developed countries,” he said. “This should be in the form of climate finance technology transfer and development capacity building.”
“In the interest of climate change,RECOVERY we need these interventions to transition to climate smart development and adapt to and mitigate the worsening effects of climate change,” he added. — Kyle Aristophere Atienza
