LAST week, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) disclosed that a total of 45 projects funded by Official Development Assistance (ODA) — loans or grants provided by foreign governments or international financial institutions — have been flagged as 'problematic,' at serious risk of delays or cost overruns, or in some cases, already behind schedule and over budget. This alarming revelation is not merely problematic; it is potentially disastrous and raises serious questions about the effectiveness of NEDA in carrying out its mandate.

In a press conference last Thursday, Socioeconomic Planning Undersecretary Joseph Capuno told reporters that of 58 ODA-funded projects evaluated by NEDA's Monitoring and Evaluation staff last year, 30 projects with a total value of P1.3 trillion were flagged as 'critical,' while another 15 projects worth P743.41 billion were deemed as being at an 'early warning' stage.