Ten reforms for growth acceleration

Four of our Asian neighbors have reported their fourth quarter (Q4) GDP data and registered fast growth in full year 2025: Vietnam with eight percent; China, five percent; Malaysia, 4.9 percent; and Singapore, 4.7 percent.

- BIENVENIDO S. OPLAS JR.

Those with Q1-Q3 data and registered fast growth are: Taiwan (7.1 percent), Indonesia and Philippines (five percent). All G7 member-countries with Q1-Q3 data registered low growth: US (2.1 percent), Canada (two percent), Japan (1.6 percent), UK (1.5 percent), France (0.9 percent), Italy (0.6 percent) and Germany (0.3 percent).

So we are still in a community of dynamic and fast-growing neighbors. The Philippines aspiring for five to six percent growth this year is still realistic.

Last week, the economic team met with many business leaders and introduced a new branding for the Philippines called "Big Bold Reforms" or BBR. The BBR are moves to transition the Philippine economy from consumption-led to investment-led powerhouse and join the Asian "Tiger Club."

I find those reforms by different departments and agencies as sensical and realistic. Below, the first seven are contained in the various reports about BBR, the last three are my observations and addition.

One, “Zero Lag” mandate. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has slashed corporate registration time from several days to just 1.6 hours through its new OneSEC platform. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has institutionalized strict, time-bound windows for environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) — 20 days for noncritical projects and 40 days for critical ones - processed via a fully digital system.