UK to help RP become more competitive

MANILA, Philippines - The British government is helping the country in identifying needed reforms to make the country more competitive as the British Embassy lends its support to the upcoming competitiveness workshop.

“The project is intended to provide a continuing forum for consultations and discussions about reforms needed before and after the upcoming elections in order to improve the country’s competitiveness,” British Ambassador to Manila Stephen Lillie said.

Lillie said it is essential that the handover from one administration to the next should not lead to a loss of momentum in terms of economic and social reform.

In the said workshop, experts from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), UP School of Economics and Asian Development Bank (ADB) will discuss issues and reforms pertinent to achieving macroeconomic stability, improving business environment and regulation, lowering the cost of doing business, coping with climate change and equipping human capital. Improvements in the said areas are imperative to propel the country’s global competitiveness ranking and timely as East Asia rebounds from the economic downturn. 

The Congressional Planning and Budget Department (CPBD) and the Committee Affairs Department (CAD) of the House of Representatives has partnered with the UPOU to identify reforms and policies.

The CPBD is the House think tank and provides technical service in formulating national economic, fiscal and social policies. The CAD provides technical and administrative support services to the standing and special committees of the House of Representatives through its various committees.

“Given their indispensable role in the legislative process, we are honored to have CPBD and the Committee Affairs as partners in this endeavor. Their participation and inputs to the workshop discussions will be crucial in conceptualizing a roadmap to improve Philippine competitiveness,” said Fe Mendoza, project director and dean of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies of UPOU.

“The partnership as well as the workshop is timely and relevant given the economic environment replete with challenges and uncertainty to which the new set of elected leaders will be ushered in,”  Mendoza added.