Romualdez on Duterte: Job well done
HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez said President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte accomplished more than what was expected of him.
Romualdez on Sunday also expressed hope Duterte would spell out all the achievements of his administration for the past five years during his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
“Job well-done. No matter where you are on the political divide, one will agree that this President accomplished more than we expected of him. He blazed a new trail in public service that had never been taken by our political leaders in the past. He could have achieved more were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic that has shaken even the major economies of the world,” said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD).
Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, added that Duterte’s major legacies, like the passage of the Universal Health Care Act and free college education law and reforms in taxation, were only made possible under his leadership.
“Unthinkable for many generations in the past, but made possible under his administration. These are accomplishments difficult to surpass by any administration to come,” stressed Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) or the oldest and most respectable association of legal luminaries in the country.
“Major reforms in taxation are set in place, generating more money to spend for people’s welfare. Major infrastructure and mass-transit projects resulted in a more efficient flow of people, goods, and services. This generated favorable business climate that means more investments, which create more jobs and livelihood for our people,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez also said the Duterte administration passionately worked towards restoring peace in Southern Philippines with the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“Our Muslim brothers and sisters now have a regional government of their own, which they are now in the process of building. With huge financial backing from the government, I have no doubts that they can finally stand on their own and chart the course they want for the next generation,” the House leader said.
“All these accomplishments of the Duterte administration are warmly-embraced and deeply appreciated by the Filipino. Proof: he is the most popular Filipino President ever, with his trust and acceptance ratings climbing higher even in his last years in office,” Romualdez added.
Despite the President’s relevant achievements, Romualdez pointed out that the Chief Executive remains humble.
“But since this is his final SONA,” Romualdez said. “We hope the President takes the time to spell out all the accomplishments done under his administration to help improve the living condition of our people. Most of these accomplishments did not gain the media attention they deserve so the President may need to use his biggest platform, the SONA, to itemize these achievements.”
“We also wish that the President outlines all the reforms that he had instituted in government, especially those done in cooperation with the 18th Congress. These reforms need to document fully so that the next administration may use them as beacons for implementation in the years to come,” Romualdez said.
