The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has submitted a wish list to President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. containing programs for the economy and society in general.
The group identified policy and program support and public investments as two of the most important priorities of the new administration.
“We need a favorable enabling environment for investments if we are to succeed in attracting greater and more diverse job-creating investments for more Filipinos to be gainfully and productively employed, so that overseas employment would merely be a choice for our workers, rather than a necessity. The enabling environment includes infrastructure adequacy, labor market, and employment policies, fiscal and financial sector policies, and justice and the rule of law,” said new MAP president Rogelio Singson.
On education, MAP recommends the creation of a second education commission to develop a clear roadmap out of the learning crisis that will pursue foundational reforms, ensure public-private complementarity, institutionalize lifelong learning, and draw on international best practices and new knowledge in the neurosciences.
The group also called for the return of face-to-face classes, upskilling of teachers, cooperation among academic institutions and industry participation in K-12 senior tracks.
On healthcare, MAP recommends the overhaul the Philippine Health Insurance System (PhilHealth) leadership and management; scale up programs nationwide to combat hunger, malnutrition and child stunting; and, establish a National Recovery and Resilience Council (NRRC) and a
Health Security Council (HSC), to be headed by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
The group also asked the new President to wrap up farm consolidation by declaring the completion of agrarian reform and lift land ownership ceilings on farmlands.
On trade, MAP calls for a policy environment that fosters level competition, lowers costs of doing business, and encourages productivity-enhancing innovation, specifically calling for the immediate ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement and other trade agreements and creation of a new Philippine Export Development Plan to close the country’s wide export gap relative to its ASEAN peers.
Other suggestions include updating and/or crafting of industry roadmaps, develop a high-level government body or a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement; setting up a national supply chain “control tower” to monitor demand and supply conditions; encourage businesses to adopt digitalization, among others.
The group also reminded the new administration to sustain the gains of the Build, Build, Build program that currently faces tighter fiscal constraints that have been brought about by the massive costs of managing the pandemic and its impact on jobs and livelihoods.
On power challenges, MAP rallies to support the expansion of baseload renewable energy projects by exploring how to de-risk these projects to encourage and enable private investment and develop new indigenous and lower cost sources of natural gas with the necessary enabling infrastructure investments.
Similarly important are policies on digital transformation particularly the establishment of a secure national broadband network; full implement the National ID system; and promote the use of digital payments and digital documents as an acceptable medium for compliance.
The group also encourages the adoption of integrated water resources management principles to ensure water security and access to clean water for all while trying to privatize inefficient water distribution systems.
On labor-related concerns. MAP suggests to institutionalize labor flexibility for quick employment and make work-from-home arrangements available to all enterprises.
On fiscal and finances, MAP recommends a review of the tax regime for micro and small enterprises to help their viability and thereby expand the tax base, as well as the completion of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program.
MAP said the new administration should always uphold justice and the rule of law if business confidence is to be sustained, and the general population is to live in an atmosphere of peace and security.