By Alec Go
With 12 days left before the May 9 elections, Malacañang named three issues and challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, that the next administration will have to address.
Acting Presidential Spokesperson Martin Andanar said in a briefing on Wednesday, April 27, that they expect a smooth transition from the Duterte administration to the next amid the threat posed by COVID-19 to the economy.
“Sound fiscal policy reforms might be a challenge as it is needed to address our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, noting that the 10-point policy agenda of the current administration “accelerated and sustained economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
With only 67 million individuals who have completed their primary COVID-19 vaccine dose series, Andanar stressed that the next administration will also have to respond to the emergence of COVID-19 sub-variants believed to be highly transmissible.
The Philippines has already recorded 3,684,712 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 60,194 deaths. In 2020, the country’s economy plunged by -9.5% due to pandemic restrictions, and recovered by 5.7% in 2021.
“Pangatlo po is to continue the significant strides of the Duterte administration in fighting drugs, crimes, and terrorism,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson added that continuing the Build, Build, Build program will also generate more jobs through the entry of more investments in the infrastructure sector.
The Palace said it is hoping for the next administration to carry Duterte’s priorities and programs for peace and order which includes the battle against crime, illegal drugs, and corruption.
As of March 2022, the government has seized P75 billion worth of illegal drugs across the country since Duterte began his campaign against narcotics in 2016. – gb
