Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the administration has much to show in terms of economic gains even before Duterte reached the halfway mark of his presidency.

The Speaker must be aware that the two and a half years of the Duterte presidency has achieved more than the combined terms of the Arroyo and Aquino presidencies in terms of major policy reforms and flagship infrastructure projects duly processed and ready for groundbreaking, and some already near completion, he said in a statement Tuesday (January 7).

Panelo said more jobs are expected to be generated this year with the Build, Build, Build program in full swing.

Arroyo urged the economic team to produce tangible results after inflation cooled down to 5.1 percent in December 2018.

The focus must now be on implementing things quickly and efficiently, in all fronts. This is consistent with some Cabinet members call for vigorous implemention of the governments infrastructure program. We must produce tangible results all around during the second half of the Presidents term, she said in a statement.

Arroyo, an economist, welcomed the slowdown in inflation but hinted that the government should not be complacent.