Genuine change felt

President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise of genuine and meaningful change is being fulfilled as indicated by the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing 86 percent of Filipinos have rated their lives positively in the last quarter of 2018.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said poll is a proof that the people “have felt genuine and meaningful change” under President Duterte’s leadership.

“While the Chief Executive has given priority to the improvement of peace and order in the country, it cannot be disregarded that he has also laid the foundation that will propel the nation to progress and reach new heights,” Panelo said in a statement.

“It therefore gives us encouragement that almost all Filipinos, whether here or abroad, have universally recognized the bold strides undertaken by the President and his administration to pursue socio-development programs that are not only inclusive but are also sustainable,” he added.

Although there was a slight decline, Panelo said the Palace still takes it as a positive sign that the government is doing things right given “that this stratospheric figure hardly changed with 87 percent having the same sentiment in December 2017.”

He went on to underscore several of the President’s initiatives, powered by “unprecedented political will, genuine empathy, as well as a relentless resolve” in improving the lives of Filipinos.

Panelo cited the passage of high-impact laws like the free tuition in state universities and colleges, free irrigation to farmers, free Internet access in public places, institutionalization of feeding programs for public school students, universal health care program; free medicines and financial support to indigent patients, and mandatory PhilHealth coverage for persons with disabilities.

With these laws, Panelo stressed that the Duterte administration has institutionalized measures to “uplift the general welfare of the people.”

“The President has likewise distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Award to thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries and farmers. He instituted the farmer and fisherfolk enterprise development program through the Sagip Saka Act and has consistently pushed Congress to legislate for the return of the coco levy fund with safeguard measures in favor of coconut farmers through a trust fund,” Panelo stated.

“He has also strengthened local domestic regions such as the signing of the Bangsamoro Organic Law to transform Mindanao from ‘an island of promise’ to ‘an island of fulfillment’ with the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” he added.

These, according to Panelo, are just some of the measures and accomplishments of the administration he said led to the people feeling “genuine and meaningful change” that resulted in the very favorable outcome of the survey.

“It therefore gives us encouragement that almost all Filipinos, whether here or abroad, have universally recognized the bold strides undertaken by the President and his Administration to pursue socio development programs that are not only inclusive but are also sustainable,” he said.

“These shall be the bedrock of the Duterte legacy in the remainder of his term and the Filipino people can expect that we will not rest nor will we tire until all our taxpayers are convinced that they are getting their money’s worth,” he concluded.