Palace: ‘There’s much to look forward to next year’

The Palace is pleased by the latest Social Weather Station survey where 96 percent of respondents expressed optimism at the coming new year and said there was indeed much to look forward to in 2018.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there was reason for Filipinos to welcome 2018 because the Philippine economy was in an upswing.

“The prospects for the future thus look bright,” Roque said, adding that increase tax collections, through Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, should accelerate the economy.

Continue to hope

An official of the Catholic Church also lauded Filipinos’ more hopeful outlook for the new year.

“Let us welcome the New Year with a different outlook, more hopeful and at the same time we should be more confident that there will be changes and reforms along the way,” said Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) permanent committee on public affairs.

At the same time, Secillano reminded the public to be aware of the issues around them.

“Let us be also mindful of the issues that may adversely affect us. Sometimes people tend not to care. Politicians might be up to something and we might be caught unaware,” Secillano said.

The coming of 2018 should also prompt Filipinos to participate more in their country’s affairs, instead of just minding what only concerns them.

“They should actually participate and make their voices heard. Otherwise, some politicians or our government for that matter will just take advantage of us,” Secillano said.

“We might be taken for a ride, they will implement whatever they want without us having a say in all of this. I think that it is significant that we Filipinos are learning to be more aware of what is happening,” Secillano added.

Economic uptick

Meanwhile, Roque said the Asian Development Bank has increased its growth forecast for the country from 6.5 percent to 6.7 percent in gross domestic product.

Debt watcher Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings said the Philippine economy may grow by 6.6 percent in 2017, adjusting its previous 6.4-percent forecast, he noted.

The liberation of Marawi City, held under siege by Islamic State-allied extremists for five months, will also bring progress to Mindanao, he said.

Roque called on Filipinos to do their part and help the administration in improving the country.

“We therefore ask our citizens to help the administration in laying down the foundation of a prosperous and peaceful nation,” he said.

At the same time, Roque also thanked the people for continuing to believe in the President’s official family after the Cabinet obtained a net satisfaction rating of +38 percent.

The rating is considered “good,” and is the highest net satisfaction rating that the Cabinet has received since 1990, he noted.