Gibo woos MBC, aims for 8% RP growth

By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=550993&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro is aiming for eight percent annual growth for the country throughout his six-year term if elected.

Addressing members of the Makati Business Club (MBC) in its third and last forum for presidential candidates at the Hotel Intercontintental in Makati City, Teodoro also bared more of his socio-economic initiatives, including institutionalizing the independence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and continuing the Arroyo administration’s conditional cash transfer to poor families.

“Our great economic challenge is to grow by at least eight percent per annum; to raise per capita income of $1,900 to $3,200 when (my) term ends in 2016 and double by 2018. That’s a tall order but it must be our goal in order for us to sustain that growth,” Teodoro said.
He cited the daunting challenges confronting the country, including damaged ecology, wrong past policies, poor logistical system and weak institutions of governance.

Also hampering economic growth, he said, are the weak fiscal situation, an agriculture system that is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, and an educational system that “is not producing the human capital needed to compete.”

To speed up implementation of his programs, he said he would lay the groundwork for political harmony in the first 100 days to the first few years of his office. He stressed that “there is room for political debate, there is room for political opposition, and there is room for good governance advocacy.”

“But what must be left untouched (by politicking) is the integrity of institutions, long-term policies and plans, long-term infrastructure, education, children and farmers’ welfare,” Teodoro said.

“A leadership which has credibility, interconnections of major thoroughfares, (and) the predictability of government policies enforced by reliable institutions are the best incentives we can put up,” Teodoro said.

He said politicking should not be allowed to affect international relations as “we need to speak with one voice.”

He said he is open to appointing defeated presidential candidates to his official family but will not join the government if he is not elected.

“If the inevitable happens, I will not accept any Cabinet position. I want my freedom to advocate,” he said.

Ombudsman’s record

Teodoro also told the MBC that he would order a review of the performance of the Office of the Ombudsman as part of efforts to address corruption in government.

“I will have to review the performance of the Ombudsman. There are good people and good critics there. I will have to weigh these things with the integrity of the Office as the principal issue,” Teodoro said.

The Office of the Ombudsman is highly criticized for its low performance rating, especially when it comes to graft cases involving the First Family as well as key personalities in the government.

It is also widely perceived that Merceditas Gutierrez, a classmate of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo at the Ateneo Law School, got her post due to the endorsement of a key personality in Malacañang.

Teodoro admitted that one of the major concerns besetting the country is widespread corruption not only in government but also in the private sector. – With Jaime Laude