THE business sector pitched several actionable recommendations to the government’s economic managers, including aid to the agriculture sector, innovation and the setting up of one-stop shops for government services.
During the Sulong Pilipinas event on Monday, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) suggested actions that are seen to help the country recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
PCCI President Benedicto V. Yujuico said the Department of Agriculture and local government units (LGUs) should “provide farmers with financial aid, farming implements, and consistently market local produce by the end of 2021.” Such efforts will assist and sustain farmers and organizations affected by the pandemic.
The business organization urged the Department of Education, the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Science and Technology to come up with ways to strengthen the science and technology curriculum to enhance learning outcomes and innovation. In addition, PCCI also asked the agencies to identify opportunities for investments in self-sufficient research facilities by 2022.
Yujuico called on the government to set up one-stop shops for all its services and portals to facilitate easier transactions. PCCI hopes various government services will be integrated within the year.
“To improve health and emergency response, the government, through the DOH, should provide more strategic investments, increased support for human resource, upgraded facilities, and up-to-date technology that will create long-term impact post-pandemic by 2022,” PCCI said.
PCCI asked the Transportation department to craft an integrated transportation and logistics roadmap within five to eight years to make the mobility efficient.
Yujuico urged the Trade department to work with manufacturers and importers of construction materials to ensure enough supply for the country’s massive infrastructure drive.
“To ensure effective policy enforcement, the government agencies and the military should have a faster coordination and strategic communications strategy that reaches the grassroots- and community-level,” the PCCI official said.
“To attract regional investments, the LGUs, DepEd, and CHED [Commission on Higher Education] should establish programs to enhance skills and talents to support sectors and industries as part of the economic recovery program starting 2021,” he added.
The business group asked several government agencies to have more investments for universal social protection by 2022 so many women with young children will be enabled to work.
Lastly, PCCI suggested increasing spending on urban mobility infrastructure, like bike lanes, and public transport reform by 2022.
“Rest assured that we at the PCCI will continue to support the government in reviving our economy by providing employment opportunities and interventions for our people in a relatively safe and sustainable manner,” Yujuico said.
Reform on education
In a separate statement on Monday, the PCCI pushed a multistakeholder approach for education reforms to pinpoint the gaps and challenges in the system, adding that the group’s Education Task Force (ETF) convenes for the first time on April 28.
Yujuico said the ETF will assess and evaluate the current state of Philippine education to come up with policy recommendations that can make it more competitive.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the challenges, gaps, and deficiencies of our educational system. Now is the best time that we sit down and seriously discuss these gaps and provide solutions that would make the system at par with other countries,” Yujuico said.
The industry group noted that the Philippines ranked 61st in education among 63 countries in the latest World Competitiveness Survey.
PCCI said the policy paper to be produced by the ETF will use the Quality Improvement Framework to review the education system and to pitch reforms.
It will cover four major areas of development: Philippine Qualification and Learning Outcomes, Curriculum and Instructions, Competencies of Teachers and Educational Leaders, and Institutional and Policy Reforms.
The ETF will be composed of 12 officials from the academe.
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