Business group gives wish list to Duterte

Philippine business has made 10 recommendations, including a quick resolution of the conflict in Marawi, to guide the Duterte administration in its second year in office.

Capping the second annual Sulong Pilipinas forum on Wednesday night, the head of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented to President Duterte a list of recommendations, the result of the daylong workshop.

Wednesday’s event, which was participated in by more than 400 representatives of local and foreign business groups, marked the second time the private sector and the administration’s economic managers held a dialogue.

The first Sulong Pilipinas was held last year, even before Mr. Duterte and his cabinet officials officially took office.

The list covered a wide array of sectors, representing some of the concerns that businessmen would like government to deal with.

It mentioned the need for the entry of a third player in the telecommunications industry “to address the problem of our ICT (information and communications technology).”

The recommendations also called for identifying the best competitive advantages against other countries in Southeast Asia; improving the ease of doing business; improving agricultural support in terms of infrastructure and services; solving job skills mismatch; improving the quality of health services, especially in rural areas; improving land tenure security in all areas; and providing entrepreneurial education for farmers and fisher folk.