Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano says the country’s economic recovery would take center stage in the 2022 national and local elections.
Economic recovery measures and other efforts to strengthen the country’s health system would be the key concerns among voters in the upcoming elections, he said.
“The single largest factor in 2022 is the solutions to the problems brought about by COVID-19,” Cayetano said.
With the national government still concentrated on the medical front, he raised deep concern about the country’s efforts toward economic recovery lagging behind the economic stimulus programs being implemented in other countries.
“I see there are plans on the medical side—on vaccination, contract tracing, isolation and beefing up the capacity of the hospital. But on the economic side, we must strive for economic progress similar to what we experienced before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because compared to other countries, we are being left behind in terms of (economic) stimulus,” Cayetano said.
He said those seeking to run for the presidency must work with experts from different fields to be able to develop a five-year COVID-19 economic recovery plan.
“Convene all the presidentiables. Convene our experts in agriculture, mineral resource development, manufacturing, tourism and finance. (And) Let us come up with a plan that is easy to understand,” he added.
