Miriam promises 'faster than ever' economic growth if elected president

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Tuesday promised that the country's economy will grow "faster than ever before" if she's elected president in 2016.

 

"I commit that the Philippine economy will grow faster than ever before, that it will be truly inclusive by making sure that real incomes of workers will increase over time," Santiago said during the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries presidential forum in Pasay City.

 

The senator promised that she will invest in people and prepare Filipinos for a more competitive global economy.

 

"Only by investing in people can we truly make growth inclusive. Only if the young are educated and healthy can they benefit from growing economic prosperity," she said.

 

She also said that she will continue the government's conditional cash transfer program, "but will plug the program's leakages."

 

The senator also said that she will uphold the decision of the Supreme Court on the Priority Development Assistance Program and the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

 

If elected president, Santiago said that her first act would be to sign the Freedom of Information Act.

 

"This is an important tool to promote public accountability," she said.

 

Give Bongbong a chance

 

In her speech, the senator asked members of the PCCI to give her running mate, Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. a chance.

 

"Bigyan natin siya ng pagkakataon dahil nanalo naman na siyang senador. Nanalo siya—ibig sabihin the greater majority do not have opposition to his being a public servant," she said.

 

She also said that the younger Marcos should not be blamed for his father's acts during Martial Law.

 

"I have not seen prima facie evidence that he killed someone, raped someone, or burned a house, that he violated the Penal Code. Wala namang alegasyon na siya mismo gumawa. Noong Martial Law, maliit pa lang siyang bata," she said.

 

She also revealed that Marcos was her student in the University of the Philippines College of Law.

 

She said the younger senator was "more than an average student," but "he does not devote enough time to his homework."

 

"He dropped out of class," she added. —ALG/JST, GMA News