San Simon attracts investors through 'feasts' program
AN SIMON -- As a means to stimulate economic growth, the Municipality of San Simon aims to encourage more businesses to invest in the area. Showing commitment to revive San Simon’s economy, Acting Mayor Leonora Wong discussed innovations to improve ease of doing business for the coming year in the San Simon Investors Forum 2021 on August 26, 2021 at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.
S“Attracting investors is one of our main priorities as it would contribute to our efforts in providing more employment opportunities for Simonians and continuing economic activity. To achieve that, it is essential that we make it easier for businesses to operate here and work with us by strengthening and maximizing technological capabilities,” Wong underscored.
In the forum attended by over 30 current and potential investors, Wong emphasized the need for a streamlined system that reduces processing time, cuts bureaucratic red tape, and eliminates anomalous activities in line with the government’s Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery (EODB EGSD) Act.
Among the forum attendees were major steel players, companies engaged in manufacturing, light and medium industries, and real estate developers for industrial, commercial, and residential properties. In response to concerns raised by some investors in San Simon who reportedly experienced difficulty in dealing with the previous administration, Acting Mayor Wong assured them that her goal is to return investor confidence in San Simon, and she encouraged investors who have left to return to San Si mon.
As early as 2011, Wong pioneered the Fast, Effective, Accountable, Sustainable and Transparent Systems in Public Service and Governance (FEASTS) Program, investing in digital capabilities to strengthen efforts in improving ease of doing business.
San Simon’s FEAST Program has also been recognized internationally, and Wong was given the distinction of being the only municipal mayor to participate in the World Cities Summit (WCS) Mayors Forum 2015, held in New York City, USA. WCS Mayors Forum is an exclusive, by-invitationonly, global event for mayors and city leaders to discuss pressing urban challenges and share best practices.
This innovation has also helped San Simon bag first place in the Most Outstanding Local Government Unit (LGU) Implementing The
Streamlining Program in Issuance of Business Permit under the provincial category in 2016. San Simon was also named the Most Outstanding LGU for Information Technology Innovation in the same year.
As a result of the FEASTS program, the municipality has developed the San Simon EODB portal that shows detailed procedures and guidelines on availing services, including requirements and downloadable forms for a clearer and simpler process.
With the San Simon EODB portal, the municipality saw a 49.74 percent growth in the number of registered applications since its inception in 2011 until 2019.
The portal also helped make business collection more efficient, with San Simon achieving a whopping 546.70 percent increase in collections from 2011. With the online portal, the municipality has had an annual average increase of 24.60 percent.
Wong stressed that upholding good governance has helped the municipality create better solutions to improve current systems and processes in place. She added that the municipality vows to continuously explore other efforts and invest in digital capabilities to further enhance investor experience.