Aquino says 6.6 growth rate can be surpassed

WITH the significant 6.6 growth rate recorded in the country last year, the present administration is set to prioritize encouraging investors to pour in investments, including in Mindanao.

President Benigno S. Aquino III, who graced the culmination of the two-day Philippine Development Forum (PDF) in Davao City last Tuesday, said government will look for ways to further improve ease of doing business in the country especially in Mindanao which has been affected by its history of violence.

Aquino noted that the high full-year growth at 6.6 percent can be attributed to various business activities in the country for the past year.

"Among the biggest contributors to this growth were trade, renting and business activities, real estate, construction activities, and on the demand side, household consumption, and net exports," Aquino said.

With this, the President said by further creating measures on how to attract more investors to pursue business across the country not only in the National Capital Region, the 6.6 growth rate can be surpassed.

"These indicate increased private sector activity and capacity, signs that growth has become more sustainable. The improved consumption capacity of Filipinos means that our growth has benefited households as well," Aquino said.

"Moving forward, the challenge will always be how to ensure that our gains are inclusive, or more inclusive," he added.

For the entire 2012, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has collected over one trillion pesos for the first time in history of the country.