DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 25 (PIA) -- Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar highlighted the landmark achievements of the government under the Duterte administration in the areas of peace and order, law and order, poverty alleviation, and fight against corruption in a recent conference with media practitioners here.

Andanar visited Dumaguete City on Oct. 19 to promote the Duterte Legacy campaign of PCOO which aims to raise public awareness on the major gains in the country in the last five years and four months of the Duterte Administration.

The PCOO chief said the country’s top chief executive was able to deliver what he promised to his constituents at the beginning of this term, which are improving the peace and order and security situation in the country, reduce the nation’s poverty rate, and intensify the fight against corruption.

In terms of peace and order, Andanar shared that 22,000 barangays out of 42,000 barangays across the nation have been cleared of illegal drug affectation.

He said this is equivalent to 47% to 50% accomplishment in the government’s aim to free villages from the clutches of illegal drugs.

Andanar also reported that the country’s crime volume dropped to 64% under the Duterte administration.

He added that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was able to sign the Bangsamoro Organic Law which led to the creation of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) that could contribute to the peace and order in Mindanao.

The President also issued Executive Order 70 institutionalizing a Whole of Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) which directed government agencies to conduct convergence efforts to resolve conflicts which are the root causes of insurgency.

In line with this, Andanar announced that around 19,000 former rebels have returned to the folds of law.

Under poverty alleviation, Andanar said the poverty incidence rate in the country was recorded at 25% in 2016 and plunged to 14% before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation last year.

Around six 6.5 million jobs were also created through the government’s flagship infrastructure programs “Build, Build, Build” and six million Filipinos were also lifted out of poverty over the previous years.

In the fight against corruption, Andanar said the government has formulated policies to reduce corruption in government such as the Freedom of Information (FOI), which is also championed by the PCOO, Ease of Doing Business Law, and the Anti-Red Tape Law, and also established offices relevant to this function such as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

He also noted that the Philippines rose from the 124th spot to the 95th spot in the international ranking among countries implementing “ease of doing business.”

“Niasenso ta sa ease of doing business so, check. Check sa poverty alleviation, check sa peace and order, check sa law and order, and check sa anti-corruption drive. Mao na the long and short of Duterte Legacy campaign," Andanar said.

The PCOO chief also stressed that it is important that the public should be aware of these accomplishments. 

“It is important for us to promote the accomplishment of the President tungod kay (because) we are here as your officials based on your public trust. That’s why you call us trustees. Kamo tanan katawhan kamo ang trustor (You, the people are called trustor). We need to report everything. That’s why we have the Duterte Legacy Communications campaign,” he said. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)