PRESIDENT Aquino said on Sunday the government will be announcing “very good news” in the economic sector that would show that the ease of doing business in the Philippines is improving.

“In the next few days, we have some very good news in the economic sector,” Mr. Aquino said at the founding anniversary of Aurora province in Baler.

He cited a recent survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) and a report from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) that will be released in the coming days.

The President said the Jetro survey results on competitiveness showed the Philippines excelling in 14 of the 15 categories that Japanese-related firms in Asia and Oceania were asked to rate, and only lagging behind in one.

He said that when he received the latest report of the Peza—to be released soon—“I felt that all of our efforts and hard work were well worth it.”

In January Peza reported a 41-percent increase in investments in the country’s economic zones in 2011 over 2010.

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By Mia M. Gonzalez