President Duterte is upbeat about the Philippine economy in 2017 with the expected entry of Chinese investors which, in turn, will also help boost other industries, particularly tourism.

“Yes, upbeat ako sa economy kasi papasok na ang China. Kasi noon limitado tayo eh. It’s just that we are limited to a very few,” he said. (Yes I am upbeat about the economy because of the entry of China. We used to be very limited to just a few.)

“Limitado tayo sa foreign affair. Kailan pa ba tayo pinansin ng China? It was not until after my trip to China to talk to them,” he added. (Even in foreign affairs, we were limited. When did China even pay attention to us?)

A lot of foreign businesses are coming in and the President said that in two or three years, the country will be better.

Aside from the infusion of Chinese investments, the country will also see the entry of South Korean, Japanese, and even European investments.

The President said this augurs well for a peaceful and progressive Philippines in 2017.

“I just want my country peaceful and developing. Wala na akong ibang ambisyon sa buhay ko,” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines in Malacañang when asked about his New Year’s wish. (I have no other ambition in life.)

CONDOLENCE FROM XI

Chinese President Xi Jinping is optimistic that the Philippines, under the leadership of President Duterte, will overcome the disaster wrought by typhoon Nina (international name Nock-Ten) on Christmas Day and rebuild all that have been destroyed by the calamity.

President Xi emphasized this in a message sent to Duterte on Sunday wherein he also extended his condolences over the casualties and damage caused by one of the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines since Yolanda left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and displaced over five million in 2014.

“China and the Philippines are friendly neighbors, and the Chinese government and people are deeply worried about the Philippine people who have been hit and become homeless in the disaster,” Xi wrote.

The Chinese leader, likewise, expressed China’s readiness to provide emergency assistance to those who were severely affected by typhoon Nina which left six people dead and 19 others missing, and incurred damage worth billions of pesos.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Duterte cited the ongoing campaign against illegal drugs, which he said resulted in decline in incidence of crimes like robbery and rape as his foremost accomplishment. These, he said, are “visual proofs” of good effects of the administration’s war on drugs.

By yearend, he said, the number of drug addicts in the country has breached the four million mark and gives too much burden on the government.

But the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs has started to yield results, particularly with the drop in the country’s crime rate.

And with the success of his war against illegal drugs and criminality, Duterte expressed optimism that this will help boost investments by creating an ambience of order and security.

“The dollar goes very, very strong because they’re recovering and only because (Donald) Trump is there. But when Trump becomes the president, he starts to do things, you can be sure that again, the peso will rise again,” he said.

The President said he is awaiting the proposal that will prolong the duration of maternity leave from 60 to 100 days. Women, he said, need longer period to stay at home after birth to care for their newborn.

The President also promised to approve a bill that puts an end to end of contract (endo).

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Elena L. Aben and Roy C. Mabasa

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