2007 PHILIPPINES DEVELOPMENT FORUM
March 8-9, 2007
Marco Polo Hotel, Cebu, Philippines
Keynote Address of H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President of the Republic of the Philippines
at the Closing Session
We are thankful to all our development partners who are here today for your continued support and partnership. I was already here at 11:30, as Gary and Joachim have said.
This year we hope to demonstrate the sustainability of reforms just as we strengthen our defenses to lessen vulnerabilities to external and internal shocks.
We are optimistic about the future of the nation and the well-being of the people. The national agenda, as you all had heard, is designed to move the nation forward toward greater political stability, economic prosperity, peace and order.
Creating good paying jobs, stable prices, and bringing the benefits of a strong economy to every Filipino in every service is the focus of the national agenda. It is a pro-poor, pro-growth, pro-modernization agenda.
We have worked tirelessly to build a modern nation that will one day take its rightful place, among you, beside first-world countries.
Investments in the Philippines are relatively higher today compared to years before. Joachim is right in saying that there is much, much more room for investments to grow to have a strong impact on alleviating poverty.
We are on the same track every single day, working with our team to cut the red tape, build the digital and physical infrastructure as well as a strong energy grid nationwide, and you’re right about our next legislation rationalize the incentives to pull in massive investment to create jobs and beat poverty.
I repeat, we are focusing on the national agenda that includes more jobs, stable prices and peace and order. We are leaving the politicking to the candidates.
We are working to expand education, you’re right about the education and health, and healthcare.
We are taking action to develop a Green Philippines agenda to improve the environment and beautify our communities.
Our solid indicators give us a fighting chance to achieve at least a 7 percent growth rate moving forward to 2010. One of these solid indicators came in despite the peso appreciation, 27.5% increase in export. We aim to buttress confidence even more by a unifying leadership/building enterprise and political stability at all levels. The upbeat mood across all sectors of the society inspires our unswerving focus-on-governance, social justice and respect for rule of law.
Through strong international alliances with the countries you represent, we have forged new partnerships and I’m glad that they have led to billions in investments that helped create 5 million new jobs. And we have strengthened our military and security alliances in the region and the world to be able to sustain peace in Mindanao going thru a final peace agreement.
We hope for the day when enough good jobs are created in the Philippine so that hard working Filipinos don’t have to go abroad for their work. We see a day when going abroad for a job is a career choice, not the only option for work.
Through your support, we will soon balance the budget and through support we will no longer go into debt.
With your continuing support, we will work hard to make economic prosperity, social justice and peace and security a reality for a new, modernizing Philippines. Once again thank you to our developing partners for your faith and confidence to our people. Mabuhay!
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