The Management Association of the Philippines has urged the new administration to heed the group’s call for a Constitutional Convention to amend restrictive economic provisions in the Constitution, as well as declare a traffic crisis to justify the granting of emergency powers to President Duterte.
These were among the recommendations to create a more conducive and attractive investment climate in the country that MAP submitted to President Duterte last month.
The group also wanted President Duterte to prioritize the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill; amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act that will allow the Philippines to fully comply with the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF); amendments to Bank Secrecy Law that will equip the government with enough power to go after criminal elements hiding behind the present law; and amendments to the Build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) Law that will facilitate the implementation of long-delayed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
MAP also pushed for the creation of high-level groups that will review and recommend within 100 days how to make the tax system simpler to administer, fairer to taxpayers and more attractive to investors; and will fast-track the process of implementing and awarding PPP projects, particularly those pertaining to infrastructure, transportation, energy and water.
According to the MAP, there is a need to issue EOs that will mandate state agencies to fast-track the development of international airports and identify new locations for a new one within 100 days; require local government units to submit strategic roadmaps and scorecards to align with the administration’s 10-point economic agenda; establish a National Health Information System for better provision and monitoring of basic health services; and mandate agencies to review PPP contracts that are tied up in major litigations and/or in the process of arbitration.
“Honoring and upholding the sanctity of valid contracts will go a long way in promoting investments,” MAP stressed.
MAP also urged President Duterte to push for less-paper transactions and curb red tape in all government offices, especially at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), while giving the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) full authority over all government computerized services.
To further develop the local tourism industry, MAP also recommended the review of the implementation of the Tourism Act of 2009.
“The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), which should implement the grant of incentives to tourism investments, should be finalized soonest,” it added.