By: Ben O. de Vera, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Apr 13, 2018
CLARK FREEPORT ZONE-The “golden age of economic growth” being experienced by the Philippines was a result of reforms put in place by previous administrations, the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team acknowledged on Friday.
Moving forward, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told reporters that the “dynamic” leadership of President Duterte was set to sustain robust growth in the medium term.
Last Wednesday, Kelly Bird, the Asian Development Bank’s new country director for the Philippines, told reporters in a press conference that he believes the Philippines is experiencing a “golden age of economic growth” amid sustained expansion in over five decades.
“If we are experiencing a golden age of economic growth, this did not happen overnight. First of all, it took a lot of work. Previous administrations really set the groundwork for our growth,” Dominguez said during the roadshow for the Philippines’ hosting of the ADB’s 51st annual meeting on May 3-6.
“The administration of President [Gloria] Arroyo, for instance, first of all, avoided the big crisis that happened in 2008,” Dominguez said, referring to the global financial crisis that happened a decade ago.
“The administration of President [Benigno] Aquino [III] provided us with a lot of cash savings, so our financials, our balance sheet when we came in it was very good,” Dominguez added.
“We have a very young and talented workforce. Our average age is 23, and these are people who have very good basic education, willing to work, and have the interest to be trained. We also have very mild inflation worldwide for the last seven or eight years. So all of these factors came together,” according to Dominguez.
For Dominguez, “more importantly, the Filipinos elected a very dynamic leader in President Duterte, who has a vision for his country.”
Dominguez said the President was “very determined to do three things: reduce poverty; make the country more law-abiding; and institute a regime of peace—-peace with communist rebels, peace with Islamic separatists, and peace with our neighbors.”
“So all those elements, particularly the election of President Duterte, has set us in a very good economic growth path,” Dominguez said.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week
Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
