The Philippines and the United Kingdom (UK) on Tuesday signed a technical memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen regulatory reform, institutional capacity, and the ease of doing business in the Southeast Asian country.
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) director-general Ernesto Perez and the British Embassy in Manila’s Chargé d’Affaires, Edward Michael Welch, signed the deal at a ceremony at the Makati Diamond Residences.
The MOU reinforces ARTA’s mandate under Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, by aligning local regulations with international standards and streamlining processes for businesses and citizens, Perez said.
“We are serious about institutionalising quicker, smarter, and attuned regulations to the needs of citizens and businesses. Today’s memorandum of understanding is a concrete step in realising that call,” Perez said.
Perez said cooperation with the UK would allow Philippine regulators to benefit from British expertise in reforming government systems, building technical capacity and implementing best practices.
He recalled that the UK provided technical experts as early as 2019 to assist ARTA in developing the Philippine Good Regulatory Principles, which are patterned after the UK’s Regulators’ Code. Othel V. Campos
“It took the UK more than 15 years to come up with that code, but with their guidance, we were able to craft our version in just over two years, and it is now embedded in our bureaucracy,” Perez said.
Welch said regulatory reform is critical to the Philippines’ goal of attracting more foreign investment, driving digital transformation, and positioning itself as a regional economic powerhouse.
“Investors are watching, citizens are demanding, and the global competition is fierce. That is why regulatory reform is critical – it is the backbone of competitiveness, the engine of trust and the key to unlocking inclusive growth,” Welch said.
Perez said the MOU is consistent with the Philippine Development Plan, the competitiveness agenda of the Department of Trade and Industry, the fiscal policies of the Department of Finance, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
