Improve business climate - DTI Asec tells LGUs

DTI Asst. Secretary Demphna Du-Naga (2^nd from right) receives a certificate of appreciation and token from DTI VI Asst. Regional Director (extreme left) Ermelinda P. Pollentes, Phil. Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Western Visayas Chapter President Donna Rose Ratilla and RDC VI Regional Investment and Competitiveness Coordinating Committee Chairperson Ma. Luisa Segovia (extreme right).

The DTI urged local government units to continuously work to improve or maintain their positive performances to enhance competitiveness alongside with micro, small and medium enterprises.

“We  should  continue  to improve   our  business  enabling  environment  so  that our  communities  continue  to become supportive  of  our  national  goal  of   improving  our  global  competitiveness  ranking,” DTI Asst. Secretary Demphna Du-Naga told local chief executives and their representatives during the 2^nd RDC VI-Western Visayas Recognition Ceremony of Competitive LGUs at The Avenue, Smallville Complex, Mandurriao, Iloilo City on Nov. 16.

Du-Naga said that the DTI had been assisting the LGUs in streamlining the business permit licensing system to make the process more efficient in the conduct of business, especially with the presence of Negosyo Centers in the LGUs.

She said, however, that the government “cannot do this alone” as there is a need for the support of the private sector partners and most especially the LGUs. “To  improve  business  is  among the  10    key  points  in the  President’s  socio  economic  agenda to  address  income  inequality, and  improve the  quality  of  life  of every  Juana and  Juan,” Du-Naga added.

“With our concerted efforts, we hope that these efforts will give us the results of better-governed communities where everybody shares the fruits of development - good education, better housing, good infrastructure, improved income, good governance and resiliency amidst challenges, she said.

The awarding was based on the annual Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index   Survey. The  index that  was developed  in  2013 by  the  National  Competitiveness  Council and  the  United  States Agency  for  International  Development lists the benchmarks that  are  used to  measure  the  performance of  LGUs in terms  of  competitiveness. The benchmarks include economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency.

The  measure of economic dynamism refers  to  growth  of the  local economy,  cost  of doing  business and capacity  to generate  employment  among  others. Government efficiency, on the other hand, generally means that the government as an institution is not corrupt, it is able to protect and enforce contracts and apply appropriate and reasonable taxation, among others. While, infrastructure refers to the existing road network, health infrastructure, number of public transport vehicles, etc. And, resiliency refers  to the  capacity  of  the locality  to  facilitate  business  and  industries  despite  the   shocks    and  challenges it experiences.