Palace points to economic gains to dispute investors’ plaint

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – As far as Malacañang is concerned, the Philippine government has been successful in driving economic growth.

However, it admitted on Sunday that there is “room for improvement” amid complaints from foreign businessmen about bureaucratic red tape.

“‘Nung last week lang po, nandoon ‘yung Global Competitiveness Index (na pinakita ang magandang performance ng Pilipinas). Isa po ‘yon sa mga indicator kung mainam ang pakikipagtrato o paglilingkod ng mga government agency sa mga negosyo at sa mga mamamayan,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during an interview over the radio.

(Last week, the Global Competitiveness index was released showing better performance of the Philippines. It is one indicator that government agencies are serving businesses and citizens well.)

Coloma added that the streamlining of business processes has also improved as evidenced by the country’s higher rank in latest Ease of Doing Business survey of the World Bank Group.

Under the survey, the country’s rank jumped from 133 in 2013 to 108 this year.

“Sa lahat po ng pag-aaral na ‘yan simula noong 2010 ay patuloy na improvement ang naitala ng ating pamahalaan at ito rin ang isang dahilan kung bakit mabilis ang paglago ng ating ekonomiya,” Coloma said.

(Based on all those studies and surveys, starting 2010 we have shown improvement and this is one of the reasons our economy is growing fast.)

However, Coloma also recognized the concerns of the business sector, including that of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

ECCP vice president Henry Schumacher earlier complained of the “bureaucratic red tape, inconsistent, complex and lengthy procedures, delays and a high cost for regulatory processes” in his letter to Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs.

Schumacher pointed out that an investing firm must secure 162 permits just to put up a power plant and that judicial dispute resolution “takes years.”

“Hindi naman po maiaalis na maaaring mayroon pang room for improvement at tinatanggap po natin ang suhestiyon ng business sector. Kaya nga’t patuloy pa rin ang pakikipagdiyalogo ng ating pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng iba’t ibang ahensya nito para matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng mga negosyo at para mas mapabilis ang kanilang mga transaksyon sa ating pamahalaan,” Coloma admitted.

(We can’t escape the fact that there is still room for improvement and that we accept the suggestion of the business sector. That is why the government continues to hold dialogues with them through different agencies to address the needs of businesses and to expedite their transactions with the government.)

He said President Benigno Aquino III continues to closely monitor the economic performance of the country.

Asked if the government is also addressing the worsening traffic problem, which also affects trade and commerce, he said, “Lahat ng mga nagpapaantala sa daloy ng komersyo, kalakal, at negosyo ay tinutukoy po ng ating pamahalaan dahil sa pagbibigay ng halaga natin sa kabuhayan ng ating mga mamamayan.”

(Everything that affects the flow of commerce, trade and business is addressed by the government because it affects the livelihood of our people.)

 
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