Duterte invites Filipinos to fight drugs, bring OFWs home

President Rodrigo Duterte salutes as he leads the commemoration of the 120th Anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal’s Martyrdom at the Rizal Monument in Manila on December 30, 2016. KING RODRIGUEZ/ Presidential Photo

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday called on the nation to help his administration in its fight against drugs and its efforts to improve business and trade in the country.

“I invite everyone to be our government’s partners in our fight against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption, and in attaining peace and development in our country,” he said in his New Year message.

“Let us work together to enliven our business environment — by attracting more investments and creating more job opportunities for our people — so that, in the near future, working abroad would only be an option for our kababayans and not a necessity,” he said.

Duterte said the achievement of these two goals “will reclaim order and safety in our communities and will enable us to restore the public’s trust in government.”

The President urged the Filipino people to welcome the New Year “with renewed determination and a reinvigorated spirit” to overcome challenges.

Below is a copy of the President’s message. CBB