President Rodrigo Duterte has lauded the election of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as Speaker, citing her credentials as an “economist,” as the country faces inflation and rising prices of fuel products.

“I hope that there’ll be changes because there’s a new Speaker. And it’s a good thing because Gloria is an economist,” Duterte said in a speech in Zamboanga Sibugay on Thursday.

Arroyo was elected the new House Speaker on Monday by 184 House members, becoming the 21st leader of the House and the first woman to hold the post.

Duterte revealed that Arroyo called him last week and urged him to do something about inflation.

“She was the one who called me about two weeks ago to do something about the inflation,” he said.

The government, he said, was now pushing for the tariffication of rice to help lower rice prices.

“I’m pushing for tariffication to address the problem with expensive rice,” he said.

In June 2018, inflation hit 5.2 percent, the highest in more than five years.   /vvp

READ: Inflation hits 5.2%, exceeds gov’t target