Biz community welcomes likely Duterte win

Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has maintained a wide lead in preliminary election results with almost all votes accounted for, and the business community is lining up behind him.

What comes next, its members said, are his economic policies, which they hope will turn more specific in the weeks before President Benigno Aquino III steps down by the end of June this year.

“Hopefully, contenders rally behind the president elect. For the business & financial community, it’s important that he names credible people into economic advisory positions,” Hans Sicat, president of the Philippine Stock Exchange, said in a text message Tuesday.

“Aside from providing the right environment for business & industry to function, it would be good for him to signal what he prioritizes in the economic front,” he added.

READ: Businessmen press Duterte on economic team, investment policy, ‘socialism’

Januario Jesus B. Atencio III, president and CEO of listed mass housing giant 8990 Holdings, also welcomed Duterte’s likely victory.

“I live and do business in Davao so I am more used to the good mayor’s style of governance. It works,” Atencio said.

“I like his idea of government as an enabling agent for progress. Meaning, that a country with little crime, corruption, drugs and more discipline will enable the economy to grow further,” he added.

For Isidro Consunji, president of DMCI Holdings Inc., Duterte’s victory pointed to shortcomings a good number of voters had with the current administration.

“Looks like the people want performance rather than promises,” Consunji said. CDG

READ: Duterte causing market jitters