Pro-Robredo solon praises Marcos for economic achievements
Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. (left) and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Facebook, MANILA BULLETIN)
A minority bloc congressman who is a known supporter of former vice president Leni Robredo has hailed the Marcos administration’s performance in lifting the Philippines' economy. A statement released by the office of Camarines Sur 3rd district Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. Sunday, July 2 said that he "lauded President Ferdinand [Bongbong] Marcos Jr. for the country’s economic growth which economic managers recently projected would be the highest in Southeast Asia for 2023 at 6.0 percent". "In 2022, the gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.6 percent, the highest so far in the country’s 40-year-old history," read the same statement. Bordado supported former vice president Robredo's presidential campaign last year. She ended up second to eventually Palace race winner Marcos. Bordado is a former vice mayor of the late former Naga City mayor Jesse Robredo, whom he has called his "idol" in the past. The late Robredo was the husband of the former vice president. Bordado is part of the House minority bloc 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan. The Bicol solon's statement further read: "The GDP growth rate in 2022 was above the government’s own target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth for the year, and the World Bank’s (WB) forecast of 7.2 percent growth." Bordado said he hopes the economic growth could be sustained to provide Filipinos respite from the impact of the pandemic. Speaking of economic growth, he appealed to the President to resume negotiations for the funding of the P142-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) project in the Bicol region. “Reviving the operations of the PNR to Bicol will definitely contribute to the economic growth in the region. The railway system will make it easier for goods to be transported to and from the region, ensuring food security for the Bicolanos,” the Camarines Sur legislator said.