‘But alas, all the help from international friends and allies can only set up the nation for an average recovery.’
EXUDING a height of optimism while on a visit to the United States, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. boldly said that the Philippines may be a “moderately prosperous” country by 2040.
He touted this prediction in his first-ever speech before the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, during which he used all of 20 minutes to paint a favorable picture of the Philippines to the world.
Marcos said the Philippines remained on track to reach upper middle-income status by next year despite the challenges it faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical crisis in Europe.
“With steady investment in food, public health, education, and other social services, we expect to become a moderately prosperous country by 2040,” he said. “I am confident that we will achieve this vision.” He also touted how the Filipinos have been making significant strides in the area of sustainable development. According to the World Bank, the Philippines remained a lower middle-income economy for this fiscal year.
President Bongbong’s projections may be considered over optimistic, compared to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s pronouncement that China is now still a “developing nation” and the World Bank and other international organizations, especially those energy-related, agree with him. Xi thinks China can attain the status of a fully developed nation in 2049, the 100th year anniversary of the Communist Party’s victory.
The fleshing out of the President’s wish is premised on having a peaceful global environment that will allow every nation to thrive. He said: “No nation stands alone. The achievement of our national ambition requires a global environment that creates conditions that allow all nations, including ours, to thrive in peace. We need the United Nations to continue to work. And we, the Philippines, are determined to be part of that solution.”
President Marcos was just tracking the path followed by ex-President Rodrigo Duterte in connection with Philippine foreign policy. Marcos vowed to continue taking efforts to build better ties with other countries, saying multilateralism and international cooperation “do make a difference.”
But alas, all the help from international friends and allies can only set up the nation for an average recovery. To attain leapfrogging growth and consistent progress, it is up to us Filipinos and to our government and leaders to put into action the solutions that have eluded us for so long: rejecting official corruption, helping one another in times of need, patronizing local products, upholding a true sense of nationalism, and many more.
We have a whole mountain of challenges and work ahead of us, and expect that Marcos will provide the needed leadership for the nation.
