‘2019 exemplary year but best yet to come’
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2019 16:14:07 +0000
Malacañang on Monday described 2019 as an “exemplary” year for the Philippines but said the best was yet to come.
Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said there were reasons for Filipinos to be confident in facing the new year under President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership.
“Ninety six percent (96%) are entering the new year, 2020, with hope rather than with fear, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from December 13 to 16 of this year. The Palace notes that a similar survey, done by another independent pollster, also revealed earlier that practically all Filipinos are welcoming the new year with hope and positivity,” Panelo said.
New Year hope rose in Balance Luzon (to 99 percent in 2019 from 96 percent in 2018), the Visayas (to 97 percent in 2019 from 79 percent in 2018) and Metro Manila (to 96 percent in 2019 from 94 percent in 2018), SWS said. It fell in Mindanao to 90 percent in 2019 from 94 percent in 2018.
“There are indeed reasons to be confident in the new year under the leadership and administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Panelo said.
“2019 has been an exemplary year for the Philippines. The economy is on a roll with a BBB+ rating. The Board of Investments has also breached its P1-trillion 2019 investment target as of October 2019, according to the Department of Trade and Industry. There are fewer poor Filipinos, with almost 6 milllion lifted out from poverty. Employment has hit a 14-year high. Inflation has been tamed,” Panelo added.
“Signif[i]cant strides have been made with the President undertaking difficult but game-changing reforms which are important in achieving our goal of bringing a more comfortable life for all Filipinos,” he added.
“As we wish each Filipino a happy, peaceful and successful 2020, we assure everyone that the best is yet to come. Let us continue to rally behind the Duterte administration as the Chief Executive does his best in serving and protecting the Filipino people, as well as delivering genuine and meaningful change to our nation,” he said.