NEDA chief resigns

MANILA, Philippines - Economic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) director general Arsenio Balisacan will assume the top post in the newly formed Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) effective Feb. 1.

Deputy director general Emmanuel Esguerra will serve as NEDA officer-in-charge.

In a statement, Balisacan said being the first chairman of the PCC is a compelling challenge that is hard to ignore.

“I see this both as a great responsibility and another privilege to steer the economy toward the right direction to realize its growth potential,” Balisacan said.

Republic Act 10667, otherwise known as the Philippine Competition Act which President Aquino signed into law on July 21, 2015, created the PCC.

The commission is a quasi-judicial body that will enforce and implement the provisions of the Philippine Competition Act, including its implementing rules and regulations. It will ensure efficient market competition by providing a level playing field among businesses engaged in trade, industry and all commercial economic activities.

The PCC aims to protect consumer welfare and advance both domestic and international trade and economic development.

It is mandated to conduct inquiries, investigate and penalize all forms of anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions.

“We would want to address the problem of having a growing economy but with the benefits of such growth only for a small sector. Promoting fair and healthy competition among firms is a major factor in ensuring that the benefits of growth are properly shared,” Balisacan said.

As socioeconomic planning secretary and NEDA director general since May 2012, Balisacan was the first chair of the Philippine Statistics Authority board and the Public-Private Partnership Center board.

Concurrently, he was chairman of the board of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Philippine Center for Economic Development and Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute.

Prior to his appointment, Balisacan was dean and professor of the University of the Philippines School of Economics.

He also served as director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture from 2003 to 2009, and undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Recognized as a leading development economist in Asia, Balisacan will be bringing to PCC his expertise in development economics, international economics and applied welfare economics.

He has been an academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology since 2008 and an adjunct professor at the Australian National University since 2011.

Other appointees

Meanwhile, apart from Balisacan, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. also announced yesterday the designation of four other PCC commissioners: Stella Alabastro-Quimbo, wife of Marikina congressman and House ways and means committee chairman Miro Quimbo; Johannes Bernabe, Elcid Butuyan and Menardo Guevarra.  – With Delon Porcalla