Philippines now conducive to business, President
Aquino tells investors
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday
assured the business community that the Philippines is open for business and
that his administration will work hard to minimize regulatory risk to
investors.
Speaking before the participants of the ASEAN
Business Awards Philippines in Makati City, the President said his
administration has carried out major reforms in the last few years to make the
country more conducive to business even in the midst of global uncertainty.
"Our message to investors is clear: The
Philippines is once again open for business," he said.
"We have leveled the playing field, and are
giving the investors the assurances that matter—that as they deal with the
commercial risk that naturally comes with enterprise, our government will do
its utmost to minimize regulatory risk."
He recalled that the country's bureaucracy was
in shambles when the administration assumed office in 2010.
But through the reforms initiated by the
government, registering a business in the Philippines has become easy for
investors, he said.
The government set up the Philippine Business
Registry, which gathered the business registration processes of several
different agencies into a single shop, thus eliminating red tape, he said.
Citing another example of reform, the President
noted that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), under Public
Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, has optimized the bidding
process, cutting down the required bidding documents from 20 to only 5.
Simply by plugging the leaks in DPWH's system,
the agency has saved nearly P28 billion on building, upgrading, and improving
the country's infrastructure, he said.
Because of these reforms, the Philippine economy
grew by 7.2 percent last year, making the country one of the best performing
economies in Asia, he said.
The President further reported that in the
second quarter of this year, with some sectors still feeling the effects of the
spate of disasters in late 2013, the GDP grew by 6.4 percent.
The international community has recognized the
country's turnaround, he said, with credit rating agencies from all over the
world announcing a total of 20 positive credit rating actions for the
Philippines in the past four years.
Among the most significant upgrades last year
were those from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, which declared the
Philippines investment grade.
The Philippines has also consistently climbed
global competitiveness ranking, the latest being the country's leap to 52nd
place on the World Economic Forum’s 2014 Global Competitiveness Report, up 33
places from its 85th position in 2010.
"All this was a result of our belief in our
people, and in our efforts to put them in the global spotlight. The resurgence
of the Philippines is a result of striving for success in the face of
challenge," he noted.
And as the ASEAN Integration comes in 2015, the
President said he believes the country could compete with its neighbors as it
faces another development in the increasingly globalized world.
The ASEAN Business Awards Philippines, the local
counterpart of the regional ASEAN Business Awards, was established by the ASEAN
Business Advisory Council to recognize enterprises that have contributed to
regional growth. PND (as)
President Aquino leads awarding of exemplary
Filipino businesses
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Tuesday
expressed his confidence in the skills and talents of Filipinos, as he led the
awarding of Filipino businesses that excelled in various fields.
In his speech during the ASEAN Business Awards
Philippines in Makati City, the President said he believes that Filipinos could
compete with their ASEAN neighbors as the regional block integrates next year.
"The nominees and awardees here today are
those who will ensure that in the era of globalization, the Philippines will
not merely stay afloat, the Philippines will excel," the President said.
"All of you here today are the individuals
who, in the coming years, will carry our message to the world that the
Philippines works, and that the Filipino is world class," he added.
He further noted that as the country welcomes an
integrated Southeast Asia, all companies around the Philippines are entering a
global competition of their own.
The Chief Executive said he is hopeful that the
awardees would not rest on their laurels but be inspired to pursue even greater
heights.
“I am likewise hopeful that companies across the
archipelago can follow the examples that our nominees and winners today have
set, so that we may show our countrymen, the Southeast Asian region, and the
entire world, the skill and talent that runs through the veins of every
Filipino,” he said.
The event recognized both large businesses, and
small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
For large businesses, Pointwest Technologies
Corp. was recognized as Best in Innovation; International Container Terminal
Services Inc. as Best in Corporate Excellence; and Golden ABC Inc. as Best in
ASEAN Centricity.
For SMEs, Vcargo Worldwide (Vintel Logistics
Inc.) was declared Best Young Entrepreneur; the Community Health Education
Emergency Rescue Services (CHEERS) Corp. as Best Women Leader; and Fountainhead
Technologies Inc. as Best in Innovation.
The ASEAN Business Awards Philippines, the local
counterpart of the regional ASEAN Business Awards, was established by the ASEAN
Business Advisory Council to recognize enterprises that have contributed to
regional growth.
Since its launch in 2007, the annual awards have
recognized more than 60 companies in the region that have excelled in such
categories as growth, employment, innovation and corporate social
responsibility. PND (as)
President Aquino asks Congress for immediate
passage of proposed Bangsamoro Law
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Wednesday
asked Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law immediately so that
Muslim Mindanao would have enough time to prepare to govern itself.
In his speech during the ceremonial turnover of
the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law in Malacañang, the President acknowledged that
while Congress has to review the proposed bill thoroughly, there is an urgency
to pass it as soon as possible.
“Sa atin naman pong Kongreso: nauunawaan namin
na kailangan ninyong suriin nang mabuti ang panukalang batas na ito. Ang hiling
lang namin, maipasa po sana ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Sa ganitong paraan
po, mabibigyan natin ng sapat na oras ang ating mga kapatid na Muslim na
makapaghanda, at tuluyang mapalago ang ipinunla nating pagbabago sa pamamahala
sa Bangsamoro," he said.
The President also appealed to the nation to
support the important legislation, saying that everyone has a role to play in
ensuring a genuine transformation of society.
The people of Luzon and the Visayas must help
their Muslim brothers, who have been left behind in terms of progress, he said.
“Kaya naman gusto nating bigyan ng pantay na
pagkakataon ang lahat, lalong-lalo na ang mga nasa laylayan, upang mabigyan
sila ng kakayahang makiambag sa pag-angat ng bansa," he noted.
He called on all Filipinos to respect the
beliefs and rights of the country’s indigenous people, and to harness their
knowledge to understand Mindanao’s history and culture, instead of spreading
negative news and unfounded assumptions about the region.
Like people from anywhere in the country, Muslim
Filipinos also aspire to see their children graduate and live lives without
fear and worry, he said.
There is a need to strengthen trust among
Filipinos by supporting the immediate passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic
Law, he stressed.
“Huwag [na nating hayaan] ang pagkakataong
magbigay ng panibagong bukas sa Lupang Pangako; hinihimok ko kayong makiambag
tungo sa katuparan nito,” he said.
The President extended his gratitude to the
leaders and the members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), under
Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim and Mohagher Iqbal for their solidarity.
He thanked the members of the government’s peace
panel, led by Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles and Chairman Miriam
Coronel-Ferrer, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, and other stakeholders.
President Aquino also recognized the
contributions of members of the Cabinet, and foreign partners who helped in
crafting the peace accord.
He said that as he leaves for Europe on Saturday
evening, he will share with European leaders the Philippines’ peace achievement
in Mindanao.
“Ikukuwento ko sa kanila kung paanong sa
pamamagitan ng pagtitiwala at pagtutulungan ay nakarating tayo sa kinalalagyan
natin ngayon,” he said.
“Ibabahagi ko sa kanila na bagama’t hindi pa
ganap ang ating tagumpay, buo ang ating loob na magpapatuloy ang ating
pagsisikap tungo sa isang mas maunlad at mas mapayapang Pilipinas."
The President will embark on a European tour
next week to visit Spain, Belgium, France, and Germany before proceeding to the
United States. PND (as)
Congress aims to pass Bangsamoro Basic Law in
first quarter of 2015
Senate President Franklin Drilon said Wednesday
they aim to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law in the first quarter of next
year.
"We are giving ourselves until the first
quarter of next year," Drilon said when asked by reporters about the
Senate's timetable in passing the bill.
During the ceremonial turnover of the draft
Bangsamoro Basic Law, President Aquino asked Congress to pass the bill
immediately so that Muslim Mindanao would have sufficient time to prepare to
govern itself.
Drilon said passing it in the first quarter of
next year would give the region enough time to conduct a plebiscite and have
the transition commission in place before the 2016 election.
The proposed Bangsamoro law will have bipartisan
support in the Senate, he said, noting the presence of Senate minority leader
Senator Tito Sotto, chairman of the Senate’s local government committee Senator
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, and Peace and Unification Senator TG
Guingona.
“This bill will have bipartisan support. We will
co-author it with several of our colleagues and we will immediately set the
committee hearings, next week. We will request Senator Bongbong and Senator TG
to set the committee hearings next week,” he said, adding that the Senate will
tackle the Bangsamoro Basic Law after the ongoing committee hearings on the
budget.
Drilon said he is confident that the measure
will be passed.
“What we will look at with care is that the
Bangsamoro Basic Law should be within the four corners of the
Constitution," he said.
The Senate President said he is glad that the
President has assured that the bill is within constitutional boundaries.
He in turn guaranteed that they will respect the
rights and consider the aspirations of Muslim Filipinos.
Once the basic law is ratified, the Organic Law
that created the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be repealed, Drilon
said. PND (as)
