Fred M. Lobo By Fred Lobo   President Rodrigo Duterte has welcomed fresh investment pledges from Chinese businessmen totalling some P9 billion. Yes to economic partnership! No to war over Spratlys, he said. *** Fresh investment offers came during Duterte’s recent attendance of the Boao Conference in Beijing where the Chinese premiere likewise announced a visit soon to the Philippines. A new brand of  “cool diplomacy” emerges. And more business opportunities coming from friendship and exchange visits. *** Duterte has approved the six-month closure of world-famous Boracay to give way to its rehabilitation. Lesson learned. Speedy rehabilitation needed to save the island-resort from pollution and environmental degradation, Malacañang said. *** Duterte, in a Cabinet meeting, approved the proposal of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, and Tourism to close Boracay for six months, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque. Temporary closure and declaration of a state of calamity will hasten rehabilitation work, the Palace said. *** The President also gave the go signal for the demolition of illegal structures on the island-resort and the filing of appropriate charges against local officials and businessmen who violated environmental, sewerage, and easement laws. A warning applicable to all resort operators/managers nationwide: No to violations of environmental laws. No to greed! *** Duterte also directed the DTI, the DOLE, and other agencies to look into the concerns of stakeholders that Boracay closure would result in P56 billion in foregone revenues and render 36,000 people jobless. Move fast and help those who’ll go jobless with a P2-billiion emergency fund, he said. *** Duterte also called the attention of rice traders against creating an artificial rice shortage and imposing unjust price increases after the NFA management made the “mistake” of announcing an “NFA rice shortage,” according to Cabinet Sec. Leoncio Evasco Jr. Country’s rice supply adequate. No to rice supply-price manipulation, the Palace warned traders. *** “It was proposed by Agriculture Sec. Manny Pinol that rice traders should be called and that the President talk to them so that we can preempt whatever plans …to take advantage of the situation and to make money at the expense of the consuming public,” Evasco, NFA Council head, disclosed. No taking advantage of consumers. No to greed! *** Likewise, the Department of Finance said inflation in March reached 4.1 percent, quicker than the previous month’s 3.9 percent and the 3.1 percent in the same month last year. “Sin products and non-alcoholic beverages were affected by temporary tax issues while fish appears to be still affected by rough seas and vegetables, by unfavorable weather,” the DOF Economic Bulletin noted. *** “The transitory impact of the TRAIN [tax reform for acceleration and inclusion) law and the continued depreciation of the Philippine peso will mainly influence price movements in the coming months, and we must ensure that mitigating measures should be in place,” NEDA advised. Yes, time to call on DU30’s Economic Team to do timely trouble-shooting!