Opening Ceremony 4/10/2018

Opening Ceremony with Speech
BFA International Convention Center, Boao, China
April 10, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attended the Opening Ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2018 and delivered a message as one of the invited speakers in the forum held at the BFA International Convention Center in Boao, Hainan Province, People’s Republic of China.

“I come to the Boao Forum for Asia, convinced that collective prosperity is not just a dream but a reality we can achieve – For our nations, for our peoples and for our region,” President Duterte said as he expressed his hopes for the region that is seen to account for more than half of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is projected to continue with its growth till 2050.

He added that big or small nations in Asia can contribute significantly and have roles to play in the global economy, citing his administration’s successes, programs and goals to provide a comfortable life for every Filipino.

“With good governance as basis of our sound economic policy, the Philippines will do more to increase investments in the country, particularly in infrastructure, innovation and interconnectivity,” he emphasized.

The Chief Executive mentioned that the Philippine government aims to spend five to seven percent on infrastructure, reduce poverty from 22 percent in 2015 to 14 percent by 2022, and achieve growth of seven to eight percent every year up to 2022. For the next three years, the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program will have a budget allotment of more than US$69 billion.

“By 2022, the Philippines sees itself as joining the top one-third in the Global Innovation Index. We will empower more Filipinos with better knowledge, skills and expertise. With our Innovation Council under the Department of Science and Technology, we will improve the competitiveness and productivity of our MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” he said.

The President concluded his speech by reiterating that big and small nations should cooperate, coordinate and collaborate with each other in order to achieve prosperity for all, and that the Philippines stands ready to work with all nations in Asia who seek friendship and cooperation.

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