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Bloomberg
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called on lawmakers to pass legislation that will help cool the fastest inflation in five years and spread wealth and power beyond the capital region.
In his annual address to Congress, Duterte asked both chambers to prioritise the measure that will remove caps on rice imports to augment supply and cut the price by as much as
7 pesos per kilo.
The 73-year-old leader also pitched for sustained reforms in the tax system and amendments to the constitution that will pave the way for a shift to a federal form of government. Duterte promised to sign in the coming days a law that will expand the autonomous Muslim region and help end four decades of insurgency in his home island of Mindanao.
Duterte’s speech was the shortest of his three addresses, clocking in at 48 minutes or less than half of the 120 minutes he took a year ago. Members of the House of Representatives resumed the session after the address to elect former President Gloria Arroyo as the new speaker, replacing Pantaleon Alvarez.
Both are allies of Duterte and supportive of his plan to create federal regions.
In his speech, Duterte, pledged that his deadly war against drug pushers and users that has killed thousands will continue to be “ relentless†and “chillingâ€.
The brash leader also issued a warning against several groups during his speech, among them the rice hoarders and cartels blamed for pushing up prices, the miners he said were destroying the environment and public officials profiting from state coffers.
Thousands of people from different civil groups and youth organisations gathered near the chamber to protest the killings and his plan for charter change. Protesters also convened in other parts of the country including Bacolod City and Negros in central island of Visayas. Duterte supporters also took to the streets.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno expects Congress to pass the rice reform bill by September to help curb inflation. Many Filipinos wanted Duterte to address the issue of rising prices in his speech, according to a Pulse Asia Research poll.
Duterte said he wants to sign the tax package that will lower corporate income taxes by the end of the year. He said his economic team would submit to Congress proposals on the tax amnesty, tax increases in mining and the remaining tax packages he wants enacted before his term ends in 2022.