NCC set to work with LGUs on competitiveness programs
Council is gearing its effort to decongest Manila ports through Batangas, Clark, Subic strategic hubs
NCC set to work with LGUs on competitiveness programs
TO MAKE its competitiveness programs benefit more people especially those in the provinces, the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) will work vigorously with local government units (LGUs) on how they could help achieve their goals.
NCC co-chair ambassador Cesar B. Bautista said involving more LGUs in the task to develop a competitive Philippines would be among the Council's doables in 2008.
He said the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) would conduct a roadshow in at least 12 provinces with the governor, mayor and its local chambers.
The ambassador himself or one champion of NCC's working groups would present the NCC roadmap with LGUs and discuss ways how they could help achieve its competitiveness objectives.
Bautista said the roadshow would be also an opportune time to tackle with the LGUs their compliance with the required 90 to 120 days securing of building permits/barangay endorsements.
Getting said permits from the LGUs has been identified as among the top 10 business problems with bureaucracy based on results of 2007 AmCham Worst Red Tape Survey.
Other business problems, which the NCC hopes to squarely address in 2008, are claim for tax refund on overpayments of tax liabilities with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, application for a Customs Bonded Warehouse with the Bureau of Customs and securing work visa with the Bureau of Immigration.
Likewise, the Council intends to fast track manual posting of Social Security System (SSS) contribution, application for Laguna Lake Development Authority clearance, approval of exploration permit applications with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, application for certificate of product registration with the Bureau of Food and Drugs, reimbursements/benefits redemption from Philhealth and reduce inspection fee charged by the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Agencies concerned would be given compliance time to effectively speed up applications for business documents.
Bautista said the NCC, through the PCCI, will also engage more LGUs in "model city involvement."
"We target 150 LGUs with model roadmaps by next year. Already 65 cities are working on it and we hope that we can have 150 by end-2008 or an additional 85 LGus," he noted. "The roadmap makes the city become much more of a world-class city."
The ambassador said instead of working on the mayors and employees of LGUs, the plan employs multi-sectoral approach by involving business and academic leaders in this undertaking.
He said the Council is also gearing its effort to decongest Manila ports through Batangas, Clark, Subic strategic hubs with value-added zones.
The NCC infrastructure-working group is keen on promoting the establishment of the North Corridor for more investments to come in the area.
Bautista said other priorities of the Council for 2008 include lowering of electricity rate to import sector by P1 to P2 per kilowatt-hour; liberalized policy to spur small and medium enterprises (SME) financing, achieve 10-percent improvement in English, Science, Math in elementary and secondary schools, increase dual training vocational graduates to 100,000 and involve the public on competitiveness.
The passage of the Credit Information System Act (Cisa) is crucial to providing more credit to the SMEs as they would have more efficient system with information exchange.
Spurring the growth of the SMEs sector is important in improving the country's competitiveness as this comprises over 97 percent of Philippine firms and exporters providing over 80 percent of employment.
The NCC this year succeeded in getting the support of the National Power Corporation which agreed to reduce the power costs of Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) locators by P1 per kWh. Even factories outside Peza are also enjoying such power rate reduction.
Elementary students already achieved 11.77-percent average improvement in English, Science and Math subjects.
The present ESM proficiency rate is 52.5 percent. The Council targets to raise this to 70 percent by 2010 through teachers' training and courses focus on these subjects. (Philexport)
NCC set to work with LGUs on competitiveness programs
TO MAKE its competitiveness programs benefit more people especially those in the provinces, the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) will work vigorously with local government units (LGUs) on how they could help achieve their goals.
NCC co-chair ambassador Cesar B. Bautista said involving more LGUs in the task to develop a competitive Philippines would be among the Council's doables in 2008.
He said the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) would conduct a roadshow in at least 12 provinces with the governor, mayor and its local chambers.
The ambassador himself or one champion of NCC's working groups would present the NCC roadmap with LGUs and discuss ways how they could help achieve its competitiveness objectives.
Bautista said the roadshow would be also an opportune time to tackle with the LGUs their compliance with the required 90 to 120 days securing of building permits/barangay endorsements.
Getting said permits from the LGUs has been identified as among the top 10 business problems with bureaucracy based on results of 2007 AmCham Worst Red Tape Survey.
Other business problems, which the NCC hopes to squarely address in 2008, are claim for tax refund on overpayments of tax liabilities with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, application for a Customs Bonded Warehouse with the Bureau of Customs and securing work visa with the Bureau of Immigration.
Likewise, the Council intends to fast track manual posting of Social Security System (SSS) contribution, application for Laguna Lake Development Authority clearance, approval of exploration permit applications with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, application for certificate of product registration with the Bureau of Food and Drugs, reimbursements/benefits redemption from Philhealth and reduce inspection fee charged by the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Agencies concerned would be given compliance time to effectively speed up applications for business documents.
Bautista said the NCC, through the PCCI, will also engage more LGUs in "model city involvement."
"We target 150 LGUs with model roadmaps by next year. Already 65 cities are working on it and we hope that we can have 150 by end-2008 or an additional 85 LGus," he noted. "The roadmap makes the city become much more of a world-class city."
The ambassador said instead of working on the mayors and employees of LGUs, the plan employs multi-sectoral approach by involving business and academic leaders in this undertaking.
He said the Council is also gearing its effort to decongest Manila ports through Batangas, Clark, Subic strategic hubs with value-added zones.
The NCC infrastructure-working group is keen on promoting the establishment of the North Corridor for more investments to come in the area.
Bautista said other priorities of the Council for 2008 include lowering of electricity rate to import sector by P1 to P2 per kilowatt-hour; liberalized policy to spur small and medium enterprises (SME) financing, achieve 10-percent improvement in English, Science, Math in elementary and secondary schools, increase dual training vocational graduates to 100,000 and involve the public on competitiveness.
The passage of the Credit Information System Act (Cisa) is crucial to providing more credit to the SMEs as they would have more efficient system with information exchange.
Spurring the growth of the SMEs sector is important in improving the country's competitiveness as this comprises over 97 percent of Philippine firms and exporters providing over 80 percent of employment.
The NCC this year succeeded in getting the support of the National Power Corporation which agreed to reduce the power costs of Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) locators by P1 per kWh. Even factories outside Peza are also enjoying such power rate reduction.
Elementary students already achieved 11.77-percent average improvement in English, Science and Math subjects.
The present ESM proficiency rate is 52.5 percent. The Council targets to raise this to 70 percent by 2010 through teachers' training and courses focus on these subjects. (Philexport)
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