SENATOR Leila de Lima said that the next administration should work on strengthening the economy.

De Lima said that the present and future leaders should strive to allow businesses to co-exist with a pandemic.

“This means ensuring that the testing, tracing, and control of infection must remain in the government program for the foreseeable future until the WHO has declared this pandemic under control,” she said.

“We must also enter into a continuous supply agreement with vaccine producers to ensure that everyone medically cleared to receive the vaccines are inoculated and given booster shots if needed,” she added.

In ensuring economic security, De Lima underscored the importance of re-investing massively in education and letting go of the policy of violence and human rights violation in law enforcement.

“Many of our economic partners have since held back investments because of the negative image brought about by extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses. Our country must reaffirm its commitment to internationally recognized democratic values to win back our allies and regain the lost inflow of investments,” the senator said.

De Lima said that laws encouraging the re-development of manufacturing sectors in the country must be enacted to “create jobs for Filipinos and stimulate our economy”.

“Ang tunay na pag-unlad ay iyong walang naisasantabi, napapabayaan o iniiwanan, kaya dapat itaguyod ang isang Ekonomiyang Walang Iwanan,” she added.