FILIPINOS have so much to look forward to this year under the government of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the presidential palace said on Thursday, as it touted achievements in the past year.

In its year-end report, the palace cited improved economic growth and higher foreign investments.

Mr. Duterte “has made the Philippines one of the strongest economies and growth leaders in the region by changing its business climate that prompted the influx of foreign investments,” presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in the report.

The country breached its P1-trillion investment target for 2019 as of October last year, the palace said, citing Board of Investments data.

There are also fewer Filipinos who are poor, 5.9 million of them having been lifted out of poverty, Malacañang said. The poverty rate fell to 16.6% from 23.3% in 2015, it said, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority.

“Even the president’s harshest critics have admitted that the number of poor Filipinos declined faster than expected in the last three years,” according to the report. — Gillian M. Cortez

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