Cut bureaucracy to boost Phl competitiveness – Ng

Red tape in government has to finally stop to really improve the ease of doing business in the Philippines, said Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Melanie Ng.

"If real change is not implemented in removing red tape, we will lose out business opportunities to other countries that make it easier for investors to conduct business," Ng told The FREEMAN.

Ng's comments came following the release of World Bank's "Doing Business 2018" report where the Philippines slipped its ranking from 99th place to 113th among 190 countries in terms of ease of doing business.

However, World Bank clarified that the rank "is not comparable to the one published in the Doing Business 2017 report, because of methodology refinements."

The multilateral lender said the Philippines improved its business regulations last year, but despite the continued reforms, small and medium-sized businesses still face significant regulatory challenges.

CCCI's Ng stressed there is indeed a lot to be done in order for Philippines to go up the rankings in terms of ease of doing business.

"We eagerly look forward to the implementation of the Anti-Red Tape Act sponsored by Senator Miguel Zubiri. If implemented, this will help propel our county to a higher and better economic future," the business leader said.

The Anti-Red Tape Act, expected to be passed early 2018, will help improve business permit processing in the country.

The World Bank further said the Philippines has still room for further improvements especially in the areas of enforcing contracts, protecting minority investors and starting a business.

Compared to its Asian neighbors, the Philippines is behind Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and regional average for East Asia and the Pacific in terms of ease of starting a business.

The pace of reforms, according to the global lender, is faster in many other countries including in several regional neighbors.

New Zealand was ranked as the top country where it is deemed easiest to do business, followed by Singapore, Denmark, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Venezuela, Eritrea and Somalia were at the bottom.

Earlier, National Competitiveness Council (NCC) co-chair for the private sector Guillermo Luz said there is a need for the business sector to encourage local government units to automate and speed up the issuance of permits to help improve the country’s competitiveness in ease of doing business.

Luz said business chambers must help make stepping up government processes a reality.

Luz noted the ultimate goal is to make as many government permits as possible available online particularly on mobile phones

“Our goal is to take the country from this image of everyone lining up at counters to more of a concierge system where one window can serve all," he earlier told businessmen at the recently held 43rd Philippine Business Conference.

Earlier reports quoted Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia as saying the government is pushing for the “single window” approach to fast-track business permit processing in the country.

The single-window approach will accelerate business permit processing compared to the original one-stop shop program, he said.

Under the new scheme, all documents and processes related to business permit processing will be handled by one government office or representative.