Biz leaders to submit 10-point wishlist for faster economic recovery
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will discuss with business leaders today (Thursday) his administration’s plans to sustain economic growth amid elevated inflation and consecutive increases in prices of oil and petroleum products.
At the closing ceremony of the two-day Philippine Business Conference and Exposition (PBC&E) organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the President will present the government’s economic agenda.
PCCI chairman Ferdinand Ferrer is also expected to submit to the President 10 recommendations that the business group believes will help the country recover faster amid the continuing global crisis.
The country’s largest business group, the PCCI, called on the government to achieve food security by amending the Agrarian Reform Law to increase land retention limit from five to 24 hectares, implement a debt condonation program for unpaid amortizations of agrarian reform beneficiaries, and convert Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) into fee simple titles.
On health, PCCI asked the government to reform the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) into a science-based and transparent health care system and encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law.
Business owners also called for tighter collaboration between the government and the private sector to reenergize the economy by supporting new investments to generate employment, provide assistance to pandemic-surviving micro, small and medium enterprises, amend all restrictive and punitive labor laws and enact laws that will increase productivity.
In education, the PCCI asked the government to amend the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) Law to create a Philippine Qualifications Authority (PQA) that will establish and maintain qualification standards for all levels of education and training.
The groups also called for deeper cooperation with neighboring states, expanded participation in regional and multilateral defense agreements, and the acceleration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization program.
Another resolution is for the development of digital structures and to implement a nationwide internet connectivity program that is reliable and competitive by passing into law the Open Access in Data Transmission Act.
On environment and climate change, the business group proposed PPP on world-class water and waste management infrastructure.
On power, the group sought the acceleration of the integration of the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids to enable the free flow of electricity nationwide and for the Department of Energy to amend the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Renewable Energy Act to allow 100 percent m foreign investment in solar and wind projects.
Also on Wednesday, Senator Imee Marcos urged concerned agencies to arrest smugglers of agricultural products who still continue to operate despite existing laws.
Marcos said these smugglers have obviously established accomplices in the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Customs (BoC).
In an interview on radio dzMM, Senator Marcos named alleged smugglers, saying “we know them all.”
“The worst part is if they manipulate the prices, they use cooperatives, the farmers. That’s what happened in white onions. That’s also what happened in our area,” she said in Filipino.
The lawmaker said some traders buy farmers’ produce at a very low price and store it in warehouses to eventually declare a shortage.
“The small cooperatives are being made importers by cartels and big syndicates. Think of it, small farmers can import $5 million worth of onions, vegetables. Can you believe that? They are just being used,” Marcos said.