‘Renewed, reinvigorated’ Duterte urges Filipinos to welcome 2017 by showing ‘love, solidarity, understanding, optimism

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday called on the Filipino people to welcome 2017 with “renewed determination and a reinvigorated spirit,” in order to overcome all the challenges they may face next year.

“Let us all welcome 2017 with renewed determination and a reinvigorated spirit so that we can surmount the challenges ahead. I wish all of us a fruitful and meaningful New Year,” Duterte said in his New Year’s message.

Duterte expressed hope that the country would welcome 2017 by demonstrating “love, solidarity, understanding, happiness, and optimism towards our personal ambitions and national aspirations.”

The President was optimistic that as the New Year begins, the public would be the government’s partners in its fight against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption, as well as in attaining peace and development in our country.

Duterte also wished for unity among the government and all Filipinos to attract more investments and create more job opportunities for our people so that, in the near future, working abroad would only be an option and not a necessity.

“The achievement of these goals will reclaim order and safety in our communities and will enable us to restore the public’s trust in government and in our people’s capacity to serve,” the chief executive said.

Duterte also assured that the government would look back not only on its achievements but also on its shortcomings as these would serve as its grassroots fac- tors to fulfill its mandate to address the problems hounding the country.

“One year has ended and another has taken its place. Soon, we will be once again preoccupied with our daily grind and usual day-to-day activities. Many will forget the events of the past year. But we, in government, will remember because it is our solemn duty to evaluate our work and make sure that its gains redound to the common good,” he said. (Sunnex)