MANILA, Philippines — “We are not ecstatic, but very satisfied,” this was the joint ratings of the country’s biggest but conservative business organization the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines on President Aquino’s performance on his first year as the country’s chief executive officer.

PCCI president Francis Chua told reporters that the slow movement in the first year was understandable because the President was very focus on reviewing and implementing anti-corruption controls.

“It takes time to build a good foundation, and putting a good foundation is part of a good process, but once you have put that foundation it would be an unstoppable progress ahead of us,” Chua said.

He even said that one year is not good enough to build a good foundation stressing the president is not fixing a “bahay kubo” (nipa hut).

For his part, ECOP president Edgardo B.Lacson noted that Filipinos are just too impatient to see positive results, “Because we have been looking for miracles, we have a damaged concept.”

“We have a very dilapidated house so it takes time to rebuild it. He’s got five years so let’s give him the benefit of the doubt,” Lacson said.

Both Chua and Lacson agreed that after a year-long of building the foundation, the second year would be implementation already although they both said that one year is not long enough to build a very good foundation. .

According to Chua, the momentum of growth has already started. This would pave the way for implementation of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.

“The momentum of growing has already started. Growth would be unstoppable because the process has already started,” he said.

The businessmen also noted that the private investors are not Filipinos but mostly foreign companies

They both, however, agreed that there is still corruption in government.

“Corruption has started from the time of Adam and Eve. It can only be minimized but not abolished,” Lacson said.

Lacson said they are not defenders of the government but said that critics on the President’s work ethics may be wrong.

Chua said that the president’s whole day schedule is listed on the Malacañang website and it is not true that the president has always been late for his appointments. “Those were just glitches,” Lacson said. (BCM)

original source: Manila Bulletin