President: Philippines no longer be the "sick man of Asia"

Manila - Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III said Tuesday that his country is no longer the "sick man of Asia".

Aquino told the businessmen at a forum that through the "political will" by the government, things that were previously considered impossible are now coming into reality.

"Once upon a time, a consensus among you is that we are sick people in Asia. Diagnosis for this disease is as simple as it looks to be overcome: the lack of political will; embedded system of corruption that can not be excluded; and feelings of utter impossibility of the same desire among Filipinos and their leaders, "he said.

But he said everything has changed.

"Let no one doubt, that we do three things previously considered impossible: we call on people to report, we cover the controversies that have weakened the spirit of our institutions and reduce their legitimacy in the eyes of our people, in other words, we exercise the political will , "said Aquino.

He said the government reform the ways to allocate and spend public funds, in pursuing the thieves, and in collecting what is considered the government has matured.

"That is how we fight against corruption and to make a mark. We have agreed not to fight the culture and the negativity that has given a sense of empowerment for our people.

"Replacing the despair of the past with a steadfast commitment to building a society that does indeed work. We have put an end to business as usual and proclaimed a state open to a real business," he added.

With the government has implemented reforms, the President cited the high Philippine Stock Exchange index, thumbs-up sign that different organizations are respected internationally and has been given to this country, in addition to the new confidence of the global community, as reflected among others by investing in the country, according to Xinhua- OANA.