Aquino vows fruitful last months of term

President Benigno Aquino lll. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday vowed to continue working “faithfully” for the nation in his last six months in office, as he joined fellow Filipinos in bidding farewell to a “historic 2015.”

In his New Year message, the President said the possibility the “daang matuwid” (straight path) roadmap would “catapult us to First World status and make us a $1-trillion economy by the year 2030… encourages me and the rest of government to faithfully pursue our tasks in the last six months of my administration.”

“The same thought should guide us as we choose our leaders this coming election: to maintain the upward trajectory of our growth and keep our nation on the daang matuwid,” he said.

“As long as we bear in our hearts and minds the welfare of our people, we will realize our inherent greatness and usher in a Philippines that we can proudly bequeath to the coming generations,” the President added.

Mr. Aquino described 2015 as “historic” for the country’s “soaring economy, robust democracy and magnified presence on the global stage.”

He said all these “not only promise a great start to the coming year but also highlight the Philippines’ ongoing narrative of resurgence under the daang matuwid.”

“As I reflect on the developments of our country this past year and those that came before it, I am filled with pride by how far we have come since we began our journey in 2010. Just a little more than five years ago, we faced a future full of despair and uncertainty; reports of plunder, mismanagement and corruption dominated our headlines. Today, progress, opportunity and growth fill the news about the Philippines both here and abroad,” he said.

“All these we achieved because of our collective resolve to follow the straight and righteous path—a path that transformed damaged public agencies into stronger, more transparent and responsive institutions; turned a demoralized government workforce into dedicated civil servants; galvanized an apathetic populace into active, empowered nation-builders, and reinvigorated a sluggish business sector into a major driver of economic growth,” the President said.