Saying President Duterte’s vision of a better Philippines is “already a reality,” Malacañang officials highlighted the government’s impressive gains as the President’s legacy to the people.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea cited significant poverty reduction, job creation, infrastructure and the creation of the Bangsamoro autonomous region as the key achievements of the administration.
“The real change we have all yearned for so long is now happening. We have made the significant starts, pioneered initiatives and accomplished impressive milestones as a nation during the first half of the Duterte administration … The President’s vision for a better Philippines is already a reality,” Medialdea said on Friday.
He made the remarks at the launch of the “Duterte Legacy,” the information drive of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on the impact of the Duterte administration’s programs.
‘Build, Build, Build’
The PCOO began the program as the Duterte administration entered the second half of the President’s term, which will end in 2022.
Medialdea cited the significant slowdown in poverty incidence, which fell to 21 percent in the first half of 2018 from 27.6 percent in the same period in 2015. He said the Philippines was “well on our way to achieving our target of 14 percent poverty incidence by 2022.”
He also highlighted the government’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, which he said ushered in a “golden age of infrastructure” and created four million jobs.
“More than rehabilitating and modernizing our structures to bridge gaps between our people, ‘Build, Build, Build’ paved the way for the implementation of high impact flagship projects that propel equitable growth and development in the country,” Medialdea said.
He also cited gains in human capital development through efforts to improve access to health care and tertiary education, and programs to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers.
Boracay rehab
In addition, the law creating the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was passed after two decades of negotiations.
“The Duterte administration is dedicated to building a nation which respects and gives equal opportunity to everyone regardless of race, religion and ethnicity. We have established the BARMM, a region that we believe will fuel growth in Mindanao and prosperity to all,” he said.
Another gain was the President’s directive to rehabilitate Boracay Island and Manila Bay, which Medialdea said spoke of Mr. Duterte’s strong political will to preserve natural resources. The Duterte Legacy will feature truth and information caravans detailing the government’s achievements, priority messages and will also counter disinformation against the government. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said they would produce a documentary series, a quarterly magazine and podcasts to disseminate the government’s gains to the public.
Several Cabinet secretaries were present to showcase their agencies’ “legacies” to the nation. Education Secretary Leonor Briones cited the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System, which reached more out-of-school youth and adult enrollees than previous administrations.
Briones said there was a 57-percent increase in the enrolled out-of-school youth and adults as compared to previous administrations, with 1,329,667 learners completing the program.