Former Senator and Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is pushing for the formulation of a comprehensive plan to prepare the Philippines as the global economy starts to recover from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer said the decision of the Australian government to lift the anti-dumping measure on Philippine pineapple canned products is a clear indication that the global economy is starting to recover.
Marcos, in a news statement, said Australia’s decision is a good development, not only in the agriculture sector, but also to other sectors of the country as it proves that it can also make and strengthen Manila’s position in the global economy.
In a separate statement, Marcos, recognizing the importance of Cebu province in the recovery of the country’s economy, told Cebuanos that big urban hubs like Cebu City will be the center of development in the future.
“I think we can always count on Cebu na maging [to become a] hub economic development,” he said.
Such a plan, Marcos continued, is included in his “Tawid Covid, Beyond Covid” program, which aims to provide measures and strategies on how the Filipinos and the Philippine economy can improve their lives while in the midst of a pandemic and even beyond it.
His plan involves strategies to address and give solutions to the problems of different sectors such as agriculture, energy, telecommunication, infrastructure, education, health and many others.
Plans for Cebu
Marcos said he has already a lot of plans for Cebu province being the center for commerce in the Visayas region. Marcos said he is planning to continue the development his father, the late strongman and former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. implemented as he recalled the creation of the Mactan Export Processing Zone, which he said is one of the main drivers of progress in Cebu’s economy.
“If you remember, one of the main drivers of the progress of the economy in Cebu is the development of the port and I think we can continue that. Cebu is still the economic center of the Visayas and in some areas, it’s actually the economic center of the Philippines, so we must continue the development,” he said.
“The big urban hubs will be the center of development in the future so Cebu being so prominent will certainly be a major part of that. It’s important that Cebu is part of the plan because it has always had an entrepreneurial tradition. Cebu has a strong entrepreneurial spirit that we can take advantage of in making better deals with public-private sectors sharing,” Marcos said.