Economic performance, return of global respect cited as Noy accomplishments

MANILA, Philippines - A robust economy and renewed respect from the international community highlight the accomplishments of the Aquino administration.

A Malacañang official claimed that while deep-rooted bureaucratic corruption has not been totally eradicated, the six-year administration of President Aquino is bowing out with the economy at its strongest in decades.

The Philippines has also gained the respect of the international community, according to  Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

Coloma pointed out Manila’s significant and substantial improvement in the Economic Freedom Index in 2010.

He disclosed in his weekend interview over state-run radio dzRB that the Philippines used to be ranked 115th, but after five years of good governance, the country is now at 70th place.

He added that the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum of 2010 the country was at 85, but rose to 47 in 2015. “We have surpassed almost half,” he said, highlighting how other countries now view the Philippines with regard to the problem of corruption.

Coloma explained further that in the Global Enabling Trade Index of the World Economic Forum, the Philippines jumped to 64 in 2015 from 92nd in 2010.

Major accomplishments in the economy include the 6.2 percent average annual Gross Domestic Product growth, the highest in the last 40 years.

The country also strengthened consumer prices and achieved steady inflation at an average of 1.4 percent at the end of 2015.

Coloma reported that the Aquino administration increased the employment rate from 92.7 percent in 2010 to 94.2 percent in January 2016.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Coloma said, lifted 7.7 million Filipinos out of poverty.

The unemployment rate of 5.8 percent is the lowest that the country has posted in the last several decades, according to him.

The country’s investment on infrastructure was also increased from 1.8 percent of GDP in 2010 to about 5 percent of GDP this year.

“Together with the active promotion of public-private partnerships or PPP, 12 contracts were awarded to private partners, more than the combined six solicited projects awarded during the past three administrations,” Coloma noted. 

The government also intensified universal health care and heightened access to quality health care, including the Universal Health Care program of PhilHealth that now covers 93.45 million Filipinos.

In the education sector, he said 89,720 classrooms were constructed from 2010 to March 2016, with another 95,429 scheduled for construction.

This is coming from a shortage of 66,800 classrooms in 2010 and more than double the number of classrooms built from 2005 to 2009. The 1:1 ratio of textbook to students was also achieved. Furthermore, 170,000 additional teachers were hired, Coloma said.

Another category is the provision of technical assistance to more than 10 million youths now properly equipped with skills and certification to join the local and foreign workforce or put up their own business.

A recent study by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) showed that six out of 10 of the agency’s graduates find employment within six months to one year after completion of the program, according to Coloma.