President Aquino: Economic pitch. FILE PHOTO
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines—Showing the supposed fruits of a robust economy is President Aquino’s strategy for eliciting voter support for candidates of the administration’s Team PNoy.
Despite the bad weather, the President on Wednesday continued with scheduled visits to the Central and Western Visayas, inaugurating IT cyberparks, business process outsourcing (BPO) centers and mixed-use property development projects to show everyone that economic growth is slowly but surely trickling down to the grassroots.
And as he went around the Visayas, he campaigned for the administration’s local candidates and for many of his handpicked senatorial candidates.
At the inauguration on Wednesday of Megaworld’s P20-billion township project here called “The Mactan Newtown,” Aquino said that the Megaworld project showed that “indeed, we have made progress.”
“These projects are helping to grow the economy in ways that can be felt by ordinary people,” he said.
“We will maintain the business environment that has led to investments like this. The world has recognized an upward trend in our country’s prospects. They are convinced that not only is it indeed more fun here. On top of the fun, the Philippines also actually works,” he said.
Megaworld owner Andrew Tan will infuse P20 billion within the next five to seven years into the 20-hectare project, declared a “mixed-use special economic zone” for IT, tourism and retirement, and thus enjoys tax incentives and holidays.
In Talisay City on Tuesday night, the President warned against those trying to put stumbling blocks to the nation’s march to progress.
Without specifically naming the rival United Nationalist Coalition, he denounced those who kept ridiculing the “straight path” platform of his administration.
“It is not in their interest that we succeed. It only means that your success, our bosses, is not in their interest,” he said.
Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras defended the President’s actively campaigning for the administration ticket.
“There are many events that he needs to go to, and since he’s already there, people want to discuss some political issues. I think that’s normal. He’s a party man, he believes in his party, so that (is) very normal for him to do,” he said.