The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• First Report on Extractive Industries’ Revenues Due This Month
• Lawmakers Say More Armed Groups Needed for Post-Ceasefire Talks
• Govt Questioned on Tourism Figures
• US Set to Ease Sanctions for Asia World Port in Rangoon
• ‘Time for Change’ in Burma’s Opium Country?
• China Military Told to Hold Tongues on Reform Concerns
• In India, Modi Mocked and State Leader Heckled after Floods
• Philippine Crime-Fighting Mayor Tops Opinion Polls for President

First Report on Extractive Industries’ Revenues Due This Month Posted: 07 Dec 2015 04:45 AM PST Miners search for jade stones at a mine dump at a Hpakant jade mine in Kachin State on Nov. 25, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Burma will submit its inaugural Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report by the end of the month, detailing the financials of dozens of companies across three of the country's extractive sectors, according to presidential advisor Zaw Oo, who on Monday described the expected filing as a "present" for the next government. The report from the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), a tripartite body of representatives from civil society, extractive industries firms and the government, will include data on licensing agreements, company profits and taxation paid to the government, among other financial details. The filing of the report by year's end will represent "a good present for the new age," according to Zaw Oo, referring to the transfer of power to a new government in 2016. According to the MSG, data for the 2013-14 fiscal year from 13 oil and gas companies representing 100 percent of revenue from that sector; 30 gems companies representing 67 percent of income from jade and gems emporia; and 11 firms representing 50 percent of mining sector revenues will be included in the report, with figures from the included enterprises totaling US$3.1 billion, about one-third of the value of total exports for the three sectors in 2013-14. "Myanmar will become the first country to include its gems sector, among EITI implementing countries globally," Zaw Oo said. The international accounting firm Moore Stephens reconciled data provided by both the government and corporations to ensure the forthcoming report meets with EITI standards. Globally, 31 countries are considered EITI compliant, and Burma is among 18 other nations regarded as "candidate countries" working toward compliance with the protocol. One of the MSG members, Dr. Kyaw Thu, said the report would mark only the first step in a process aimed at better, more equitable resource governance in Burma. "Transparency is the initiation of accountability" he said. "The long process is just beginning." The MSG includes nine representatives from civil society organizations, six representatives from oil, gas and mining companies, and six representatives from the government. Maung Maung Thein, Burma's deputy finance minister, told reporters at a press conference at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) on Monday that it would be the responsibility of the next government to use the report to craft better policies on natural resources' management. Burma is required to publish its first EITI report by January 2016, after it became an EITI candidate country on July 2, 2014. A second EITI report must be published in early 2017 and, pending a review of adherence to seven transparency standards by the Norway-based International EITI Board, Burma could be recognized as EITI compliant by mid-2017. "We believe we will pass the exam," Zaw Oo said. The post First Report on Extractive Industries' Revenues Due This Month appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmakers Say More Armed Groups Needed for Post-Ceasefire Talks Posted: 07 Dec 2015 04:28 AM PST Soldiers from the Shan State Army-North, the armed wing of the Shan State Progressive Party, on patrol in Mong Ark village, Nov. 30. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — More than a dozen lawmakers used Monday's proceedings at the Union Parliament to discuss whether to sign off on the government's "nationwide" ceasefire agreement (NCA), with many speakers saying they were reluctant to proceed with the accord until more ethnic armed groups participated. Three more lawmakers are scheduled to discuss the ceasefire deal, which was signed by the government and eight non-state armed groups in Naypyidaw on Oct. 15. Should the parliament approve the bill, the government will have license to continue discussions with those groups under the terms of political dialogue set out in the agreement. Many of those who spoke on Monday said they doubted the accord's ability to end ethnic conflict in Burma, citing the number of groups who had refused to sign. "It is not easy to ask only the Union Parliament to approve this," said ethnic Mon lawmaker Nai Bayar Aung Moe. "The majority of strong armed groups did not sign this NCA. Only armed groups who are weak signed it…Indeed, it is not appropriate to use the term 'NCA'. Only eight armed groups signed it, but there are 21 armed groups in our country." San Pyae, an Upper House lawmaker from Kachin State, said that groups who had not signed the ceasefire agreement should still be given the right to participate in future discussions. "All ethnic leaders should be included in this political dialogue," he said. "We should even invite other ethnic leaders who do not have armed groups." Neither the New Mon State Party (NMSP) nor the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), two armed groups operating in the states represented by Bayar Aung Moe and San Pyae, were signatories to the Oct. 15 accord. The KIO has faced renewed hostilities from the government since a 17-year bilateral ceasefire broke down in 2011, and fresh attacks on KIO positions have been mounted since the "nationwide" ceasefire agreement was signed. In central Shan State, the armed wing of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) was subject to a fresh offensive by the Burma Army after the armed group refused a demand to withdraw from a strategic port base by Oct. 6. Clashes have continued since the "nationwide" accord was signed and elections were held on Nov. 8, in which the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) enjoyed a resounding victory. May Win Myint, an NLD lawmaker, told the parliament that party leader Aung San Suu Kyi had declined to participate in the ceasefire agreement's signing ceremony because the majority of ethnic armed groups refused to sign. She added that Suu Kyi had also worried about creating a potential misunderstanding over her intentions among those groups to boycott the agreement, and feared that those who boycotted would come under more pressure from the government. "We cannot say it is a nationwide ceasefire agreement, because there are other ethnic armed groups that did not sign it," May Win Myint said. "We want the government and the military to welcome other armed groups who have not signed it yet." The government prevented three insurgent groups from participating in the ceasefire accord, despite their representation in the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordinating Team, a body representing the interests of 16 armed groups during negotiations for the agreement. The exclusion of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army were instrumental in leading the KIO and other prominent armed groups from withdrawing their support for the accord. While many of the speakers on Monday were wary of the agreement's future, others said that continued political dialogue enshrined in the agreement was a necessary first step in securing a permanent end to ethnic conflict. "We welcome it. This NCA could help to end conflict and fighting," said Dwe Bu, a Kachin lawmaker from Lower House, who nonetheless reiterated the need to include more armed groups. "Our lawmakers and our people want to know how our government will assist other ethnic armed groups to participate in the NCA. It is important that this agreement is all-inclusive. There are some of our Kachin people who have not been able to go back to their homes for 4 or 5 years. We need an all-inclusive agreement so we can stop the fighting in this country." The post Lawmakers Say More Armed Groups Needed for Post-Ceasefire Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Questioned on Tourism Figures Posted: 07 Dec 2015 04:08 AM PST Tourists pose for a photo in front of the Union Parliament in Naypyidaw, Nov. 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Once again, the government has claimed Burma is on track to meet its tourist arrival figures for the year. Once again, the government stands accused of inflating the figures. Hotels and Tourism Htay Aung told a Saturday meeting with tourism industry leaders that despite concerns over political change in Burma, the number of tourists who have come to the country in 2015 has surpassed 4.2 million. Citing the recent election win by the opposition National League for Democracy, Htay Aung said the industry was well placed for future growth. "The [tourism] landscape is very positive because the change caused by the election has done a lot to favor the tourism industry," he said. "There are many people inquiring about trips here. So I predict that, at the least, we will receive 4.7 million foreign travelers this year." Earlier this year, Htay Aung said that the ministry expected between 4.5 and 5 million foreign tourists to be admitted into Burma for 2015. Foreign arrivals have increased dramatically over the past few years, rising from 800,000 people in 2011 to just over three million in 2014. Industry observers remain skeptical of the ministry's figures, which tally arrivals of all foreign passport holders at land and air entry points. Most travelers to Burma come through two major Thai border checkpoints—Tachileik in Shan State and Myawaddy in Karen State. In 2014, out of 3 million foreign visitors, over 1.9 million crossed into Burma at these two crossings into towns with few tourist amenities and poor transport links to urban centers further afield, suggesting that the vast majority of arrivals were conducting business or expatriates taking visa runs in order to satisfy the requirements of Thai immigration authorities. Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travel and Tour, told The Irrawaddy that it was difficult to claim that many of those who crossed into the country from Thailand were genuine tourists. "Along border areas there are weak tourism services—for example, there are no good airports, hotels, guides, or other facilities—so how can we be sure that everyone is a tourist?" she asked. "I want to ask the ministry why it includes all of these numbers." She added that the ministry should work to provide a more accurate snapshot of the tourism industry before the new government takes office at the end of March, in order to identify challenges facing the sector. "If there really were 5 million tourists coming here, this would have definitely caused a problem due to a lack of infrastructure, human resources and other amenities, like communications and banking," she said. According to the ministry, Thai travelers account for over 70 percent of foreign travelers to Burma, followed by citizens from the European Union, the United States, and Canada. The ministry claimed that Burma received US$1.78 billion in tourism revenue last year, an increase from the approximately $500 million it received in 2012. The post Govt Questioned on Tourism Figures appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Set to Ease Sanctions for Asia World Port in Rangoon Posted: 07 Dec 2015 02:49 AM PST The Asia World Port Terminal in Rangoon. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The Obama administration looks set to ease some sanctions targeting Asia World, a firm widely believed to have built its initial fortune on the drug trade before becoming one of Burma's largest conglomerates, after sustained lobbing from the US banking industry. According to reports from Bloomberg and AP, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is expected to alter sanctions against Asia World as early as this week in order to allow US companies to ship goods through the firm's Rangoon port. In July, the Clearing House Association, a New York-based group that includes 24 of the world’s largest commercial banks, and the Bankers Association of Finance and Trade sent a joint letter to OFAC calling for an exemption to the sanctions that would permit US banks to facilitate payments to the Asia World Port Terminal (AWPT). According to the letter, portions of which were published by Reuters and the Myanmar Times, because of its location and modern facilities, in the years to come the AWPT is expected to handle the "vast majority of containerized trade of the sort financed or facilitated by US and other global financial institutions". The letter warned that blocking port-related payments to Asia World "could amount to a de facto trade embargo", as half of the country’s trade passes through the Rangoon port. Hong Kong-based Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd does however operate a port south of Rangoon larger than the AWPT which is not subject to US sanctions, but is further away from the city center. Senator Cory Gardner, the Republican chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Asia, has questioned the timing of the move to lift sanctions on the port, a move that would not require congressional approval. "Any modification of remaining US sanctions toward Burma during this sensitive time would only weaken US leverage as Burma's democratic transition continues. Furthermore, Congress should be involved in any actions relating to sanctions, and I hope the administration takes that into account should it move forward," he told Bloomberg. The expected removal of the port from the blacklist will undoubtedly boost the bottom line of Asia World, which has extensive business across much of the Burmese economy. Asia World’s chief Steven Law—also known by his Burmese name Htun Myint Naing and his Chinese name Lo Ping Zhong—is the son of the late Kokang warlord Lo Hsing Han, whose time as one of the towering figures of the global narcotics trade earned him the moniker "Godfather of Heroin". Law, his father and Asia World were added to the US sanctions list in 2008. A statement issued by the US government at the time of their inclusion claimed that Law had followed Lo into the heroin trafficking business. "Steven Law joined his father's drug empire in the 1990s and has since become one of the wealthiest individuals in Burma," the statement claimed. A US diplomatic cable leaked by Wikileaks alleged that Asia World, which was founded in 1992 benefited significantly from the Lo's close to ties to Military Intelligence chief Khin Nyunt. "According to DEA [Drug Enforcement Agency] Rangoon, Khin Nyunt gave Lo Hsing Han a 'concession' for heroin production and trade in return for his help brokering a ceasefire agreement," the cable stated, referring to a peace deal negotiated between the former military regime and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), itself a Kokang offshoot of the defunct Communist Party of Burma. Asia World's numerous construction projects over the course of the 1990s, often underwritten by investors from Singapore or Malaysia, include Rangoon’s iconic Traders Hotel. According to The Economist's 2013 obituary of Lo Hsing Han, by 1998, more than half of Singapore's US$1.3 billion of investments in Burma were made in partnership with Asia World and its affiliates. In the final years of Snr-Gen Than Shwe’s military regime, Asia World also joined up with Chinese state-owned firms on two of Burma's biggest construction projects—the Shwe gas pipeline, connecting the Arakan coast to China's landlocked Yunnan province, and the suspended Myitsone hydroelectric dam in Kachin State, an immensely unpopular development focused almost exclusively on serving China's huge electricity needs. UK Firm Scrubbed Asia World’s Wikipedia Page A lengthy story in the Wall Street Journal published in August revealed that Asia World had hired the UK based PR firm Bell Pottinger for its services. The PR firm has a reputation in the industry for taking on controversial clients, including the government of Belarus and the wife of Syrian dictator Bashir al-Assad. Mark Canning, a former British Ambassador to Burma, is a member of Bell Pottinger's Asia team. In an effort to help improve Asia World’s disreputable image, "Bell Pottinger executives say they amended Asia World's Wikipedia page, removing references to drug connections and sanctions," the WSJ reported. Bell Pottinger has a history of removing unflattering content from the Wikipedia pages of its clients, leading to public rebuke by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, who accused the firm of "ethical blindness". According to the same WSJ story, Asia World’s relationship with Bell Pottinger was terminated last year. The report cited a figure familiar with the deal, who claimed that "Asia World wasn't prepared to be as transparent as the public-relations firm hoped." The WSJ also reported that Asia World had won a $300 million government contract to upgrade Rangoon’s airport, despite the fact that a rival bid put forward by a Japanese-led consortium was ranked higher by an independent government consultant. Government officials justified granting the contract to Asia World, which operates the airport already, because the firm was "willing to spend money on the project before a contract was signed, unlike foreign bidders." Asia World Chief's Jade Trade Ties A report released in October by London-based NGO Global Witness alleged that Stephen Law had an interest in Burma’s lucrative jade trade through his Yadanar Taung Tann Gems firm. When Law traveled to Canada last year as part of a Burmese government trade delegation, he participated under his Chinese name as the managing director of the little known firm. According to Global Witness, a government registry of Burmese firms also listed Law as managing director and a shareholder of the firm, alongside another director listed as "Mr Asiaworld". Research by Global Witness found that Yadanar Taung Tann controls a large jade mine at Met Lin Chaung, west of Hpakant town. Individuals involved in the jade trade interviewed by Global Witness also said that the firm controls mines in the Gwi Hka area south of Hpakant. Government maps obtained by Global Witness show that he Gwi Hka Joint Venture is held by Dagon Yadanar Gems Co. Ltd, a firm which Global Witnesses said is controlled by two of Yadanar Taung Tann's directors. The post US Set to Ease Sanctions for Asia World Port in Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Time for Change’ in Burma’s Opium Country? Posted: 07 Dec 2015 01:35 AM PST Click to view slideshow. PEKHON TOWNSHIP, Shan State — Selling "change" to voters leading up to Burma's Nov. 8 election, the campaign of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has reached deep into the heart of opium poppy-growing country in southern Shan State, where the plant's sticky resin is also known as "black gold." For farmers here, it is hoped that this will mean a more concerted effort by the incoming government to introduce alternative sources of income to replace poppy growing, which fuels the heroin trade across much of the region. "As [NLD chairwoman] Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said, 'It is time for change.' We also want to change. We no longer want to grow poppy. But there is the question of how?" said a 60-year-old poppy grower in Pekhon Township, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Among the crops we grow now, only poppy provides us with a secure livelihood. If we don't grow poppy, what should we do for a living?" Before 2010, poppy growers here used to grow onions, potatoes, corn and rice. These crops all grew well, but when sold to the town markets, they did not fetch adequate prices and growers suffered hardship as revenues failed to cover labor and transportation costs. Under the current government, poppy substitution programs have been little more than lip service to the cause of opium eradication, locals say. As the number of poppy growers in Burma has grown and production has increased, opium prices have seen a steep decline. The price of raw opium has dropped to around 450,000 kyats (US$345) per viss this year, from around 700,000 kyats per viss in 2013, with one viss equal to about 3.6 pounds. The last decade has seen a steady rise in poppy cultivation, a trend that leveled off last year for the first time since 2006, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In 2014, a total of 57,600 hectares were under opium poppy cultivation, the UNODC said, making Burma the world's second largest producer after Afghanistan. The politics of poppies made its way into the rhetoric of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) campaigns here, some growers of the plant allege, with some candidates for the ruling party accused of using scare tactics to win votes. The consequence of electing an NLD government was said to be the forcible end of poppy growing in a region where financially viable alternative livelihoods are lacking. But at least in Pekhon Township, where the NLD won all four seats at play, the Nov. 8 vote appears to have been a rejection of fear-mongering in favor of turning over a new leaf, as it were. "We don't mind that we will not be able to grow poppy when the NLD government comes to power. We believe [an NLD-led government] will be more responsible and accountable than the current government," said a 40-year-old poppy grower who supports the NLD, also speaking on condition of anonymity. Growers here know that opium production is harmful to society, but their role in the global narcotics trade is rarely something they have the luxury to consider the ethical implications of, when there are mouths to feed, children to clothe and few paths to an alternative income at parity with poppy cultivation. A more robust crop substitution effort, combined with secure markets for the harvest, are just a couple of the wish-list items that farmers say could help this region move toward poppy-free agriculture. It appears, for now at least, that among the farmers of southern Shan State, this would be viewed as a welcome change. The post 'Time for Change' in Burma's Opium Country? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Military Told to Hold Tongues on Reform Concerns Posted: 06 Dec 2015 09:34 PM PST   New recruits to the People's Liberation Army shout slogans as they march during a training session in cold winter temperatures at a military base in China's Heilongjiang province on Nov. 29. (Photo: Reuters / China Daily) BEIJING — High-ranking officers in the Chinese army must hold their tongues about concerns over military reform and lead from the front to ensure the rank and file are on board, the People's Liberation Army said on Monday. President Xi Jinping unveiled a broad-brush outline of the reforms last month, seeking further modernization of the command structure of the world's largest armed forces, including job losses, to better enable it to win a modern war. Xi is determined to modernize at the same time as China becomes more assertive in its territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas. China's navy is investing in submarines and aircraft carriers, while the air force is developing stealth fighters. The reforms, kicked off in September with Xi's announcement he would cut service personnel by 300,000, have been controversial. The military's newspaper has published a series of commentaries warning of opposition to the reforms and worries about lost jobs. In a front-page commentary in the People's Liberation Army Daily, the military's political department, in charge of ideology and ensuring loyalty to the ruling Communist Party, said the success or failure of reform depended on top officers "leading from the front and setting a fine example." "It is forbidden to speak nonsense, make irresponsible comments, have your own points of view, act as you see fit or feign compliance," it said, in a piece also carried in the party's official People's Daily. Special attention must be paid to what ordinary soldiers think and sensitive subjects "effectively resolved," it added. "[You] must organize and manage well public opinion, especially on the Internet, and fight an active battle to create a good atmosphere for promoting reform," the piece said. Xi's reforms include establishing a joint operational command structure by 2020 and rejigging existing military regions, as well as cutting troop numbers. The military commentary said that the reforms were unprecedented in their scope and for the interest groups they touch upon. "Deepening military reform is a big test that cannot be avoided, and we have begun our assault and entered deep waters," it added. The post China Military Told to Hold Tongues on Reform Concerns appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In India, Modi Mocked and State Leader Heckled after Floods Posted: 06 Dec 2015 09:25 PM PST A couple in Chennai sits along a flooded roadside on Sunday under a picture of Jayalalithaa Jayaram, chief minister of Tamil Nadu. (Photo: Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters) CHENNAI, India — One of India's most powerful politicians, a former movie star called "Amma" or "Mother" by her followers, is being heckled and abused for going missing in action after floods swept the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, which she rules. It's a salutary lesson for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who at first drew nods of approval when he rushed to Chennai last week, promising to stand by its people in their hour of need. Yet, within hours, Modi became the object of mockery on social media after his press office released a doctored photo of him inspecting flood damage. For both him and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram, the image of strong leadership created by their publicity machines was undermined. Until the floods that ravaged the city of 6 million, the lofty remoteness of Jayalalithaa added to the aura around a leader with an almost hysterical following. Devotees of the 1960s screen idol have immolated themselves in her defense in the past. Now, she faces a backlash from residents fed up with the sight of her image on billboards, aid packets and her own Jaya Plus TV channel. She has been seen in public only twice during the crisis—once with Modi. Angry youths heckled a state minister and officials in Jayalalithaa's north Chennai constituency, where people were sitting on the roadside amid sludge and mountains of garbage, their shanties swept away by the worst rains in a century. "Forget about Amma coming here, there was no sign of the party cadres," said one of them, called Dorairaj. About 280 people have died across Tamil Nadu since torrential rains on Dec. 1 submerged tracts of Chennai under up to eight feet (2.5 meters) of water, trapping people on rooftops with no communication. There was further revulsion after a party legislator put up a poster of Jayalalithaa lifting a baby above the floodwaters, in a scene from a blockbuster movie. "Adding salt to the wounds," said one Twitter post. Avadi Kumar, a spokesman of her ruling AIADMK party, said there was anger among the people but the administration was doing all it could to bring relief: "It is impossible to reach all areas immediately or be present everywhere at all times." Good Days Modi's own promise to voters of good days to come for India is also starting to face disenchantment, 18 months into his five-year term, with key reforms stalled by bureaucratic inertia and political gridlock. Ambitious initiatives, such as a "Clean India" campaign, have made little headway—even as Modi has built up huge followings on social media and addressed enthusiastic diaspora Indians at packed stadiums on his many trips overseas. "If today he appears to have lost control over his own narrative, it is his own fault," commentator Tavleen Singh wrote in Sunday's Indian Express, urging Modi to hire a professional media team. Modi does not have an official spokesperson. Jayalalithaa, 67, in the past considered as a possible prime ministerial candidate backed by regional groups, faces an election in Tamil Nadu next year. Modi's nationalist party has little presence in Tamil Nadu, a state of 70 million. It would rather the iron-fisted Jayalalithaa stays in power, believing she is more inclined to back his reform agenda in parliament than her rivals. But there are concerns around her health and that she may have to curtail her campaign. Earlier this year a higher court acquitted her in a graft case for which she was briefly jailed which had caused an outpouring of anger from her supporters. Some lay down on roads and tried to persuade bus drivers to go over them. "She is supposed to be a fantastic administrator. But this time there was no presence of government at all. Ordinary people did all the work that government and police were supposed to do," said S. Raja, one flood-hit resident of Chennai. The post In India, Modi Mocked and State Leader Heckled after Floods appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Philippine Crime-Fighting Mayor Tops Opinion Polls for President Posted: 06 Dec 2015 09:13 PM PST Rodrigo Duterte walks with his supporters during his proclamation ceremony as a presidential candidate held at a hotel in Manila. (Photo: Romeo Ranoco / Reuters) MANILA — A tough-talking, seven-term mayor, who has built a reputation for fighting crime in the insurgency-plagued southern Philippines, has become favorite to succeed President Benigno Aquino in May elections, an opinion poll showed on Monday. Rodrigo Duterte, 70, mayor of Davao City, was the top-rated contender for 38 percent of 1,200 respondents, the Social Weather Stations poll said. Senator Grace Poe, who topped surveys in June and September, slid down to second spot with 21 percent in a tie with Vice President Jejomar Binay, who led opinion polls early this year. Poe had 26 percent support in September and Binay had 24 percent. Poe last week was barred for running because she fails to meet the 10-year residency requirement but she is hopeful that the decision will be reversed on appeal. The elections will be closely watched by investors, who fear the political succession in one of Asia's fastest-growing economies could derail gains made during Aquino's rule. Under Aquino, the Philippines has seen annual economic growth of more than six percent on average, its best five-year record in four decades. He has also battled to rein in corruption. About 54 million Filipinos are eligible to vote to choose a president, vice president and more than 18,000 local government executives and lawmakers in the general elections, which happen every six years. Aquino's chosen successor, former interior minister Manuel "Mar" Roxas, was fourth in the poll, falling from 20 percent support in September to 15 percent. Political analysts said the rise in support for Duterte could be attributed to his anti-crime crusade. As mayor, Duterte has turned around the reputation of Davao, once one of the most crime-plagued cities in the country. The post Philippine Crime-Fighting Mayor Tops Opinion Polls for President appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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