Spell out economic agenda, President urged

CEBU’S business leaders expressed optimism as they looked forward to President Rodrigo Duterte’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, saying they are eager to listen to him lay down his socio-economic agenda.

Melanie Ng, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president, said she expects Duterte to touch on comprehensive tax reforms.

“We believe this will greatly favor our competitiveness and support the ease of doing business in our country,” she said in a text message.

Ng said the CCCI hopes the president will fulfill his promise of change and concretize actions to enforce new laws for a better Philippines.

Incoming Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Glenn Soco said aside from business policies, he would also like to hear from Duterte his plans of shifting to a federal form of government.

Soco said it will also be good if President Duterte mentions his plans for Cebu.

Apolinar Suarez Jr., chairman of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) Cebu, said he is excited and positive about Duterte’s first SONA, judging by the way he presented himself during election period.

Suarez said he looks forward for the president to push for federalism.

Gordon Alan “Dondi” Joseph, Cebu Business Club president, said he isn’t really expecting to hear anything new but he hopes Duterte elaborates on his political and economic agenda.

“He might continue with his drug exposés and this will, of course, spark excitement,” Joseph said.

Philexport Cebu Executive Director Federico Escalona he expects Duterte’s speech to be “full of shocking revelations on how bad the country’s drug situation has become and how corruption in government continues to rear its ugly head.”

“DU30 will give fresh hope through his economic agenda,” Escalona said in a text message.