3 presidentiables to bare economic policies at 41st PBC

For the first time, at least three presidentiables in next year’s elections will bare their economic policies before the country’s business leaders, who are seeking guidance from the country’s future leader.

Benedicto V. Yuico, chairman of the two-day 41st Philippine Business Conference which opens today, said three presidential bets including former Interior and Local Government’s Secretary Mar Roxas, Vice-President Jejomar Binay, and Senator Grace Poe have confirmed their attendance to a panel discussion on the second day of the PBC, which will be held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City. The two-day annual LPBC, which is hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will have this year’s theme “One. Global. Filipino: Synergies in Partnerships for Global Competitiveness.”

“Each candidate will be given seven minutes to present his or her vision on business policies. There will be no discussion on politics during this panel discussion and topics will be limited on the candidate’s economic platform,” Yuico said.

Santiago was also invited but has not confirmed her participation yet. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has yet to decide whether he is running for president or not, was also invited to attend the PBC as part of the audience, but not as presidential bet.

PCCI President Alfredo M. Yao has also urged for a stop to the “blame game” practice among Filipinos and instead cooperate as the ASEAN economic integration takes its full impact in January, 2016.

He urged the Department of Trade and Industry to focus on assigning an individual for each of the nine ASEAN countries to monitor the imposition of non-tariff measures that will undermine the country’s trade potential under the liberalized trading regime.

As this developed, the PCCI reported that the Aquino government has the highest response rate to its PBC Resolutions compared to the administrations. It has been a tradition of the largest annual business conference to submit a set of Resolutions to the President, who always delivers a keynote speech on the last day of the event.

“We have a higher batting average of at least 50 percent in our PBC Resolutions under the Aquino administration compared to the 40 percent prior to this current government,” said Donald Dee, PCCI honorary chairman and COO.

“It is still very slow, we are always left behind, but in fairness this is already an improvement from the previous administrations. So were doing very well now, so continue to push,” he said.

The most acted upon resolution was a resolution on transportation where airport projects have already been implemented although still at a slow pace. He said some projects have been delayed due to right of way issues, which could continue unless the Build Operate Transfer Law is amended to allow government to exercise its right of expropriation.

For this 41st PBC, the business leaders will present to President Aquino a set of legislative measures they hope the President could push for approval by the current Congress. These bills include the Customs Tariff and Modernization Act, creation of the Department of Information and Communication and Technology, PPP Act or the amendment of the BOT Law, the energy rate reduction bill, TIMTA, plastic bags regulation, income tax, and use of hazardous biochemical materials, among others.

Dee said that PCCI has strongly opposed the inclusion of a provision on pre-shipment inspection stressing this will add cost to doing business and further delay release of shipments. The PCCI would rather that all inspections must be done upon arrival of the cargo and not at its port of origin.

“We have taken a position to delete PSI in the CTMA bill which has been approved already in the Senate,” he said.

The PCCI has also sought exemption from the list of chemicals listed by the Philippine National Police as hazardous and threat to security. At least 41 items have been added to the list making it difficult to import give the lack of facilities by the government to inspect these chemicals before an importer can be granted import permit by the PNP.

Dee expressed optimism that the priority bills can still be passed by the current administration because not all government officials are in the exit mode yet.

“Government officials are not in the exit mode yet so they stay to continue working so we hope there will be no delay in project implementation. Election should not stop us from pushing our advocacy issues,” he said.