PCCI flags SONA silence on government legislative program

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said the government needs to follow through on pending reforms after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., left out the government's legislative agenda in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

- By Justine Irish D. Tabile

“We would have wanted to hear progress updates on the removal of regulatory barriers, the streamlining of business processes, and the modernization of government services,” PCCI President Enunina V. Mangio said ina statement on Tuesday.

“These are major pain points for businesses,” she added.

According to the PCCI, red tape remains an issue despite the Ease of Doing Business law, adding that agencies have overlapping mandates, digitalization is proceeding slowly, and compliance costs remain high.

“The Chamber also stressed the importance of expanding MSME (micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises) access to credit and technology and introducing more advanced technical and digital training, including artificial intelligence, in the education system,” it added.

The PCCI nevertheless noted that the SONA established the President’s sincere concern about the effectivity of flood control projects as well as his firm intention to pursue his infrastructure goals.