Speech of Ms. Angelica Pettersson, Executive Director of Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (ANZCHAM) during the business legislative agenda for the 16th Congress press release

ANZCham Angelica Pettersson Opening Remarks

PBG-JFC Press Conference, September 11, 2013

In December 2010 the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) released Arangkada Philippines 2010: A Business Perspective at a press briefing at the DTI with Secretary Domingo.

Arangkada Philippines 2010: A Business Perspective is about creating a bright future for the Philippines, the 12^th most populous country and probably the 10^th or 9^th by 2030. Arangkada Philippines is a comprehensive ten-year roadmap to help create $75 billion in new foreign direct investment, 10 million jobs, and 1 trillion pesos in public sector revenue for the Philippine economy within this decade. It is a guidebook to a better Philippines, with the per capita income of a middle-income economy, robust investment levels, better infrastructure and higher government revenues to pay for social services, especially education and health. Absolute poverty would be reduced by inclusive growth with less malnutrition, crime, and insurgency.

Arangkada Philippines 2010 contains 471 recommendations from Filipino and foreign businessmen and women for building a more competitive economy, reform-by-reform, leading to high growth and millions of new jobs. Catching up and keeping up is an imperative, not a choice.  The Philippines has lagged for too long, losing competitiveness, despite its immense potential and location in the fastest growing region with 60% of the global population. More than ever, opportunities abound for the Philippines to improve trade and investment ties in Asia and elsewhere and advance the country towards high-income status.

The country recently saw some of the fruits of hard work to raise competitiveness by a 6-place improvement to 59^th in the World Economic Forum ranking of the Philippines. This follows back-to-back ten place rises in the ranking for the two previous years. The Philippines is now counted among the top 40% of 148 countries ranked by the World Economic Forum. This contrasts starkly with 2009 when the Philippines was 87th out of 133 countries and among the bottom third.  But rising to 59th place is no reason to rest. The goal set by the National Competitiveness Council to reach the top 1/3 in 2016 is very attainable.  This performance is an excellent example of the theme of Arangkada which is Move Twice as Fast!! Passing needed reform legislation is another example of how the Philippines can move twice as fast.

To pursue the legislative advocacies in the Arangkada, the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFCs) collaborated with five Philippine business groups (PBGs) and recommended to President Aquino and the Senate and House of Representatives 41 reform measures for consideration in the 15th Congress in late 2010. The proposed reforms were discussed in high level exchanges between the PBGs and JFCs with House leadership and chairpersons of key House and Senate Committees during the 15^th Congress. Such communication and cooperation between Congress and business groups has been crucial to the passage of reform laws. The
 PBG-JFC also actively participated in committee deliberations of these reform measures in both Houses.

Speeding up the pace of enactment of new laws and amending old ones was accomplished during the first half of the Aquino administration. The 15th Congress enacted significant laws necessary for the country to adapt to changing times and supporting economic development and consistent growth. With the enactment of at least 29 business and economic reform measures, the 15th Congress surpassed the 22 such laws enacted in three previous Congresses. This is a considerable amount of progressive legislation, supporting the image of an advancing Philippine economy with improving international competitiveness rankings, encouraging investment, and eventually creating jobs. With strong leadership and cooperation between the executive and legislative branches in the 16th Congress, it should be possible to equal and exceed the record of the 15th Congress and even hastening the pace of legislation.

Given the importance of laws and updated legislation to the growth of the economy, it is essential that business groups continue their role as advocates for the passage of reform laws. This role was exemplified when leaders of 6 Philippine business groups and 7 foreign chambers wrote to Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. on May 27, transmitting a list of business and economic legislative reform measures for the 16th Congress for consideration by the LEDAC and President Aquino. A subsequent letter was sent to President Aquino on June 19 signed by the same groups.