A prosperous and decent nation.
This is how Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas would describe the Philippines by the end of his term in 2022 should he win the May elections.
During the third and last Commission on Elections (Comelec)-sanctioned presidential debate in Dagupan City on Sunday, the candidates were given two minutes to answer how they would describe the Philippines at the end of their term.
“By 2022, nakikita ko ang ating bansa ay maunlad at disente—isang bansa na puno ng pagkakataon,” said Roxas.
(I see our nation as prosperous and decent—a nation full of opportunities—by 2022.)
At the end of his six-year term, Roxas said 10 million jobs would have been provided for the Filipinos, particularly in the industries of manufacturing, business processing outsourcing (BPO), construction, tourism, small and micro enterprise.
“Ten million jobs malilikha sa anim na taon—sa factory, sa call centers, construction, turismo, small and micro enterprise, lahat uusbong dahil magiging malago ang ekonomiya natin,” he said.
(We will create 10 million jobs in six years—in factories, in call centers, in the industries of construction, tourism, small and micro enterprise—because our economy would have grown by then.)
READ: Palace: Roxas running on platform of continuity
Roxas also said he dreams of a nation that is free from fear and hunger.
In an apparent dig at Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Roxas maintained that violence would not solve crime in the country.
“Ang krimen, nilulutas sa batas hindi dahas at ang gulo nilulutas sa pamamagitan ng kalye at kabuhayan, hindi sa pulbura,” he said.
(We can solve crimes through justice and not violence. We can solve chaos by providing infrastructure and livelihood and not by fighting.)
The administration candidate also promised to expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to raise the standards of living of those in the marginalized sector and to provide more scholarships to those who can’t afford education.
“Ito ang disenteng at maunlad na kinabukasan natin. Nasa kamay natin ating kapalaran inaasahan ko po na sasamahan niyo ako para gumawa ng magandang bukas para sa bayan,” Roxas said.
(This is the decent and prosperous nation I envision. We hold the key to our future, and I hope you will join me to build a better future for our country.) IDL