Planning for the development of regions has been practiced in the Philippines since 1972 when the central government decided to grant more powers to the regional level of governance.

About 20 years later, a law called the Local Government Code was passed that extended the powers of decentralized governance to the provincial and lower levels.

Such a strategy was expected to and did produce fast growing regions. But these regions were, in the first place, already exhibiting high growth performance since the 1970s.

These are the areas around Metro Manila, the so-called Calabarzon and Central Luzon. Also in this group are Metro Cebu City and Davao City. In economic parlance, these regions benefited from "agglomeration economies" which exist when manufacturing enterprises are able to produce more and achieve efficient production through "economies of scale".

Our region, Eastern Visayas, with its limited market base, has managed to hang-on to its spot of being in the middle, not very developed but not very depressed.

The top regions are growing fast while we have not done as well although our social well-being, as shown by health and education data, has not fallen behind the other regions. But staying at par and on the average, is not enough. We must grow fast and faster.

This time around, emphasis must be placed on growth-oriented planning. This is what I call planning with a punch, not a tap. This region must "break-out", do something different and decisive.

Production has to increase dramatically. Its resources must be placed into more productive use. This means the expenses for each unit produced (whether in agriculture, industry or services) must be reduced to make our products competitive in terms of pricing, assuming that there are already of marketable quality.

Growth-oriented planning places top priority on creating jobs, increasing employment, and thus increasing income in a manner that exceeds substantially the growth of population.

Starting with a strategic planning workshop held last Oct 19, this is precisely what the Regional Development Council is trying to do this time around.

It is planning with a punch.