(Eagle News)——The Palace on Thursday, Aug. 9, defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s environmental policies which Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said partly contributed to the slowing down of the growth of the Philippine economy in the second quarter.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in the first place, the government does “not approach policy on purely economic and financial basis.”
“The President of course will exercise the power of the state, known as police powers, to protect also the environment and he has given higher priority to the protection of the environment and he makes no apologies for it,” he said.
“We’re investing in the future and not just in the present,” he added.
Although slower, Roque said a 6 percent growth of Gross Domestic Product was also not a cause for alarm.
The 6 percent in the April to June period was lower than the 6.7 percent recorded in the same period last year.
“People, do not forget we may not have met the target but 6 percent is very high,” Roque said.
Among the government’s moves Pernia said partly resulted in the slowing down of the Philippines’ GDP in the second quarter were the closure of Boracay Island, closure of mining pits, among others.