We are delighted by the 7.1% growth in our GDP in the third quarter of 2021, which is among the highest third-quarter growth rates in ASEAN and the East Asian region.

This noteworthy achievement affirms the Duterte administration’s success in strategically balancing, managing, and sustaining the growth and operation of our economy, while addressing and containing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Delta variant that pushed us to tighten our quarantine restrictions.

Despite the reimposition of said restrictions, our proactive vaccination drive against COVID-19, as part of our three-pillar strategy, has allowed for work and business operations to reopen and continue, as well as for the sector to expand, thereby driving the sustained economic recovery we have registered today.

As we continue our responsive approach to this pandemic in our remaining months in office, such as accelerating the vaccination program, safely reopening the economy while strictly adhering to public health protocols, and the full implementation of the recovery package to lay the foundation for a pandemic-resilient nation, may everyone take part in this collective effort by observing the minimum health standards so that the economic optimism and growth momentum of our country may continue.

May our economic growth encourage everyone to participate in our national COVID-19 vaccination program as we can see the tremendous and positive impact it has on our recovery from the pandemic as one nation.

SEC. MARTIN M. ANDANAR

Manila, 9 November 2021