Employers, exporters ready to work with new administration

MANILA, Philippines — Business groups Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) are calling on the nation to give the new administration a chance.

Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., who serves as president of both ECOP and PHILEXPORT, said in a statement that following the intense period of campaigning and national elections, “it is time to settle down and go back to work” as the economy faces many challenges.

“We have businesses to revive and sustain; employees to provide salaries to and an economy to nourish to progress,” the joint  statement read.

“Work also means continuing to push our recovery and reform agenda to neutralize the impacts of the still threatening COVID pandemic, a fragile economic recovery, increasing fuel prices that impact on all products and services, and rising foreign debts,” the groups said.

While the groups want Filipinos to give the incoming administration a chance to prove itself, they also said they do not expect all the challenges would be addressed by the country’s new set of leaders.

“But we strongly hope that having been given the mandate and consistent with their election promises, they continue to build on the strong fundamentals and gains of the outgoing administration and closely involve key stakeholders in addressing the remaining gaps and challenges,” the groups said.

“ Together, let us bring to successful completion our common cause towards rebuilding better and stronger. This much we owe our country, our children and generations to come,” they said.

ECOP is composed of employers in the country while PHILEXPORT is the umbrella organization of the country’s exporters.