NegOr businessmen rate SONA satisfactory

By Jennifer C. Tilos

Thursday 26th of July 2012

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 26 (PIA) -- Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce Inc. (NOCCI) President Eduard Du graded the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Aquino as "generally satisfactory."

Ed Du said although it was quite long and by far the President's most detailed SONA yet, it lacked comparative data on poverty alleviation.

He said he agreed that the Aquino administration has achieved economic gains, which were the result of reforms such as cutting wasteful spending and holding the corrupt officials accountable for their actions.

However, Du said the economic gains these past two years may have not yet fully trickled down despite the success of PNoy’s reform agenda.

He said business groups wanted to hear specific measures that government will take to reduce cost of electricity, and to create competitive investment environment in preparation for the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)'s zero tariff scheme in January 2015.

He added that basic issues on K to 12, OFWs brain drain, charter change, Public-Private-Partnership projects status and legislative agenda should have been also discussed in the SONA, said Du. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)