An organizational meeting of the PDF Working Group (WG)Convenors and Co-Convenors was held on October 23, 2008, 2:00-4:00p.m. at the World Bank Office, Manila. The objective of the meeting was to hear updates from the PDF WGs on their activities since the March 2008 PDF. The meeting also discussed the need to look at the various WGs' relevance and to review the approach to setting the theme and format for the main PDF event. It was agreed that a small group of volunteers from development partners and Government would take into consideration all the suggestions at the meeting and come up with a recommendation.

Notes on the PDF Organizational Meeting (Download) - pdf (135kb)

A small group of DP volunteers met with the GOP on December 4, 2008 to discuss recommendation from the organizational meeting of October 23, 2008. Attached is the resulting guidance to the PDF Working Groups

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The Philippine Government has advised that, in view of the work schedule conflicts that have come up for the Government economic managers, a meeting of the Philippines Development Forum will not take place as envisioned this October. Instead, the Government will ensure that the PDF working groups will continue discussions at the working level, and would like to encourage working groups to expand participation to other PDF participants outside their working groups (which is in fact being practiced by 2-3 of the working groups), in order to facilitate broader dialogue.

The Government of the Philippines regrets the cancellation of the main meeting and any inconvenience this may have caused.

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Based on the guidance given to the PDF Working Groups, following are the 2-3 key issues submitted by each working group for the GOP's consideration as it decides in the theme and program for the 2009 PDF.

Compilation of WG Issues (pdf)

MDGs and Social Progress (pdf)

Growth and Investment Climate (pdf)

Mindanao (pdf)

Sustainable Rural Development (pdf)

Infrastructure (pdf)

Decentralization and LG (pdf)