TRADE and Commerce chair Councilor George Goking today asserted ways the city’s new administration can help boost economic recovery at a time of rising inflation, fewer jobs than before the pandemic, and a shift to remote work.
“An imbalance in supply and demand, the continuous oil price hike, and the unemployment are the problems that the new city government is facing,” said Goking.
He said there are a number of pressing issues already facing city hall, from managing the new omicron variant to solving the water supply crisis.
The city’s new leaders, the mayor, and the vice mayor cannot wait to address the issue that is arguably one of the city’s most urgent challenges right now ― reigniting the economy, according to Goking.
Goking, however, suggested ideas that the new administration and the City Council can do to reignite the city's economy: strengthen the foundation for future growth; make a big push to hire workers; seize the moment to support MSMEs and new entrepreneurs; and accelerate a tourism rebound.
“Economic return should now be on top priority,” Goking told colleagues.
He, who also chairs the Committee on Ways and means, vowed to prioritize legislation promoting the next administration’s agenda and economic recovery in the 20th City Council which will open on June 25.
Goking did not further elaborate, as he was only saying that the new vice mayor-elect Jocelyn Rodriguez would “definitely bring the council to new and greater heights under a common goal of unity toward economic recovery.
“The new council should at least have the experience and aptitude that will effectively unify city council in the passage of important and crucial legislative reforms,” Goking said.
However, Goking said the problem of the new leadership is how to win its majority, Rodriguez needs to muster three to four councilors from the six minority councilors, or a total of nine or 10 members, to win the majority.
Goking said in the current City Council, that the ruling party is the National Unity Party with 12 seats, and will likely maintain that position in the opening of the 20th Council.
