'Big bold reforms' woo foreign hubs

The government’s “bold reforms” to restore investor confidence and improve the country’s business environment could help reverse the decline in foreign investments this year, according to the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

- By DEXTER BARRO II

ECCP President Paulo Duarte said the sentiment among foreign investors is “very positive” following the “Big Bold Reforms” event on Friday, Jan. 16, which convened Cabinet secretaries and members of the private sector.

“I think we are looking to the country with the highest confidence, because what we understood here from the presentations today is that the government is serious in putting the reforms in place,” he told Manila Bulletin.

With Finance Secretary Frederick Go as the keynote speaker, the event laid out the government's reforms and plans for the year.

The media was barred from participating in the actual forum, but in a subsequent press briefing, Go said he presented major initiatives, such as visa-free entry for Chinese nationals and the launch of a nationwide single-window integrated trade facilitation platform.