Biz groups join ARTA, DILG to improve ease of doing business

SOME of the Philippines’ biggest business groups signed an agreement with the AntiRed Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to form a council that would help improve the ease of doing business in the country.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding on Tuesday, March 5, was attended by DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., ARTA Director General Ernesto Perez, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Nina Mangio, Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines Chairman Edgardo Lacson, Philippine Exporters Confederation President Sergio Ortiz Luis Jr., and representatives of the Buklod Bayani Coalition.

BBC Secretary General and Rotary Club of Makati Central Foundation Inc. President Roberto Alvarez, Jr. said the council will serve as a way to elevate the problems experienced by businessmen, particularly when dealing with local government units (LGU), to the national agencies in charge of eliminating red tape.

“If you have local issues, you discuss with local people. You talk to them on how to solve it. If you cannot solve it, you elevate it. You have the council. You have the secretary of the DILG, ARTA, very soon the other secretaries will be joining us, and we will be discussing solutions to the problems,” said Alvarez.

“ARTA is strong but wala siyang arm eh. Kulang ang tao niya on the ground. The people on the ground now will be the businessmen,” he added.

Alvarez said the BBC also plans to meet with the heads of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to invite them to join the council as well.

PCCI’s Mangio described the partnership as a way to empower their local chambers to monitor the implementation of the government’s ease of doing business programs.

“Our ease of doing business is not being implemented accordingly. We’re receiving a lot of complaints and a lot of questions. If our local chambers, if our members who are in contact with the LGU can be educated and trained in monitoring for the implementation of this, then that’s already a good point,” she said.

For his part , Abalos acknowledged the lack of uniformity when it comes to applying for certain permits at the local level. That’s why he welcomed the formation of a council that could help address such issues.

“Tandaan po na tin, meron tayong problema sa

rationalization of fees. Bawat LGU, iba-iba ang fees. So you get feedback kaagad, from the ground, napakabilis. Ang mga

business permit, iba-iba rin.

Occupancy permit, iba-iba rin ‘yan.S os apagg aw a pal angng patakaran, magkakasama na kaagad,” said Abalos.