'Sulong' fora underscore private sector's role in growth

DAVAO CITY -- Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said spinning off the annual “Sulong Pilipinas” consultative conference into regional forums across the country underscores the importance given by the Duterte administration to the business sector in its pursuit of high and inclusive growth.

Dominguez said in a statement on Friday the government has doubled its efforts this year to connect with the private sector by involving small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), which represent “a crucial component in our economy,” given that they account for 99 percent of business entities and employ the bulk of the country’s workforce.

To also step up such efforts, regional workshops, now dubbed the “Sulong Pilipinas-Philippine Development Forum (PDF)”, were held in Cebu City last Nov. 9, in San Fernando City in La Union on Nov. 14, and at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga on November 26.

“We believe consultations between government and the private sector should be an ongoing affair,” Dominguez told a news conference during a break at the daylong “Sulong” workshop held here on Wednesday.

“To improve representation of all parts of the country and increase access for stakeholders, we have decided to hold regional forums, with the purpose of primarily gathering the inputs and recommendations of representatives from our small and medium enterprises or SMEs,” he added.

“Here in Davao, where businesses are flourishing, and the spate of infrastructure investments under President Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program will catalyze its growth potential, we anticipate a lively discussion in the country’s robust economic and fiscal position,” Dominguez said. “We also anticipate a wealth of insight from the private sector on how to power our economic breakthrough.”

The finance chief said that earlier forums held in Luzon and Visayas secured for the government the support of SMEs and the rest of the business sector in its proposed reduction in corporate income tax, which, they said, would enable them to expand their businesses, raise their employees' salaries and even hire more workers.

He said SMEs have also backed the reforms outlined in the Ease of Doing Business law, especially the provision on the “zero-contact” policy, which they believe will create the most significant positive impact.

“Sulong Pilipinas has proven to be an effective mechanism for providing SMEs a voice in the shaping of policy,” Dominguez said.

The forums in Cebu and San Fernando yielded a new set of action programs for the government, with the need to increase agricultural output through better access and improved public investment in new farm technology emerging as the business sector’s top recommendation.

Dominguez said the business sector also cited the need to implement efficient mass transport systems to ease traffic congestion; simplify loan requirements and offer low interest rates, especially for SMEs; speed up processing by the Food and Drug Administration of licenses and certificates of product registration; allow the filing and paying of taxes by SMEs online; and streamline government processes and further reduce red tape.

This year’s “Sulong” regional workshops were jointly organized by the DOF and the Presidential Communications Operations Office, along with the departments of public works, trade, transportation, and budget; the National Economic and Development Authority; the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Bases Conversion and Development Authority; and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (PR)

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http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1055417
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