MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has touted his government’s efforts to keep the Philippines on the list of Asia’s fastest-growing economies despite the soaring prices of goods, the biggest problem to plague his administration so far.
Though scant in specifics, the President said he plans to boost agricultural production by modernising value chains, which will be augmented by “timely and calibrated” importation. “We are going after you... What these cartels are doing is cheating. The days of these smugglers and hoarders are numbered,” Mr Marcos said.
Some of President Marcos’ policies as concurrent agriculture chief are a revival of his father’s flagship programmes. He said President Marcos’ one-hour-and-11-minute-long speech failed to lay down a clear vision and specific plans on how the government will further ease inflation in the coming months.