Philippines’ New Finance Chief Defends Duterte to Investors
- Incoming government will keep policies that boosted ratings
- Dominguez says president-elect must be judged on Davao success
Carlos Dominguez.
Photographer: Ritchie B. Tongo/EPAThis article is for subscribers only.
Philippines’ incoming finance chief, Carlos Dominguez, sought to reassure investors that his new boss is a pragmatic leader who’ll build on the gains that’s made the Southeast Asian economy one of the fastest growing in the world.
While president-elect Rodrigo Duterte makes the headlines mainly for his brashness, foul language and anti-crime rhetoric -- including threats to kill criminals -- Dominguez wants investors to look beyond that to Duterte’s track record as mayor of Davao city. Duterte plans to spread the policies that helped the wider Davao region, which includes the city, expand 9.4 percent in 2014, the fastest in the country, he said.