Bizmen ask PNoy: Make Phl globally competitive

CEBU, Philippines - A coalition of business organizations in the Philippines, including 14 business clubs from Cebu, have asked President Benigno Aquino, III to address the seven critical concerns that could hamper the country’s goal of sustainable and exclusive growth.

Cebu Business Club president Gordon Alan Joseph submitted the letter of the different business organizations addressed to Aquino through Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who attended the 2nd National Conference of Independent Business Clubs and Chambers held at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel.

The business community urged the Aquino government to address important issues that may derail the promising economic prospects in the Philippines in the next few years.

The business sector wants the Philippine government to seriously participate in the global supply production network, particularly through the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, which is designed to make ASEAN a single market and production base, and a strong regional economic bloc in the global economy.

The letter which was read by Joseph, emphasized that the Philippine government should deepen the involvement of the business sector in creating a “comprehensive action plan or roadmap,” to prepare the country and its stakeholders for regional economic integration and the forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community.

Another important factor, that the Aquino administration should make strong stance is in the establishment of a support system for the Philippine industries and business to spur countryside development.

While the Philippine economy is now strengthen by the fast growth on the Information, Communication and Technology sector, including the Business Process Outsourcing, the private sector is also reiterating its call for the government to re-consider the decision in installing the Department of Information, Communication and Technology (DICT).

The business community believes that if creation of an ICT Department, will not just be BPO-centric, but will also be key to achieving efficiency in the flow of information to and from the government and private sectors, and will be a tool to improve the efficiency of doing business in the Philippines.

The letter also highlighted Cebu’s serious position in pushing further tourism development, informing the President the recently formulated Cebu Tourism Roadmap, which aggressively targets six million tourist arrivals in the next five years.

In relation to put in more efforts and programs in accelerating tourism growth, the private sector called the government to address the “Common Carriers’ Tax”and other tax issues affecting airlines flying to and from the Philippines. Likewise, the group requested the Pnoy administration to make actions in solving the US Federal Aviation Administration downgrading and the European Union blacklist issue.

“We are very concerned by our poor performance in the recent World Bank-IFC Doing Business 2013 Survey which showed our rank dropping to 138th to 136th.”

The letter conveyed a message of support from the private sector to the present administration, while it also hopes for utmost attention of the concerns which the business sector believes to give detrimental effect to the Philippine economy growth, if not addressed properly.— (FREEMAN)