Infra projects, free tuition mark PRRD’s 2nd year in office

FILE: Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Saturday welcomed the significant progress made in efforts to provide Filipinos with a more comfortable life, as his boss, President Rodrigo Duterte, marks his second year in office. (REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA — Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Saturday welcomed the significant progress made in efforts to provide Filipinos with a more comfortable life, as his boss, President Rodrigo Duterte, marks his second year in office.

“We have seen numerous infra and economic development projects, laws signed and implemented and social welfare, health and education programs put into place in the last two years,” Go said in a statement sent to media.

“This is a testament of what President Duterte clearly wants for the country and for the Filipinos,” he added.

The Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program is meant to sustain rapid growth, attract investments and attain economic inclusion for all Filipinos.

Duterte has also signed and implemented a number of laws such as the act securing rights of persons with mental health needs, a law requiring stricter penalties for hospitals demanding deposits, a law providing free tuition in state universities and colleges, a law speeding up government transaction processes, a law providing free irrigation, and laws extending passport and driver’s license validity, among others.

Go, however, pointed out that the President has no plans of extending his term after 2022 and will not pressure Congress to pass laws that may allow an extension.

“We don’t have ambitions of clinging to power, neither will we push for laws that would result to such,” Go said.

Opposition lawmakers have expressed concern that Duterte’s push to shift to a federal system of government might allow a term extension.

Duterte himself said he would even step down earlier as long as both federalism and the Bangsamoro Basic Law are in place.

Go also reiterated that Duterte wanted a government that is free from corruption and will not think twice about firing officials involved in dishonest practices.

“The president will always want a clean and graft-free government and he has proven this many times by firing officials he appointed,” Go said.

Duterte earlier urged government officials to give Filipinos a respite from corruption warning that there would be more dismissals to come and no second chances.

“There will be more dismissals to come,” Duterte said in his speech during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) last June 20.

He said he does not care if his whole term “would be characterized by firing and dismissal of people from government.”