THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PCCI) headed by president Alegria “Bing” Limjoco, along with PCCI regional governor Gigi Simbulan, over the weekend lauded the City Government of San Fernando for being business-friendly.
During the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.’s 62nd general membership meeting, 6th induction of board of directors, and 42nd induction of new members at the LausGroup Event Centre, the PCCI recognized the local government unit---a two-time hall of famer business-friendly awardee---for its all out support and efforts to provide a conducive environment for businesses and investors.
Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago told SunStar Pampanga Monday, March 18, that the city government welcomes the recognition of the PCCI, giving back the credit to the national business chamber and the local Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. led by chairman emeritus Levy P. Laus and president Rene Romero.
“We thank the PCCI for recognizing us for the two hall of fame awards. We are proud of that. But we also give credit to them since economic development is the job of the private sector and the government or local government unit just facilitates and enables economic development like tourism, culture and heritage as economic drivers. We facilitate this as it is the start of our transactions towards government efficiency,” he said.
The city government, Santiago noted, gives weight on the ease of doing business here.
“What we aim in being business-friendly is the ease of doing business and cost of doing business. So our city should have focus on business and investments as these are the anchors of economic development,” he said.
“Government efficiency hastens transactions in business and investments because everything is in place. That is why we prepared the city by updating and revisiting our comprehensive land use plan and comprehensive development plan as well as climate change mitigation plan in terms of resiliency,” he added.
Intertwined with being business-friendly, Santiago added, is the delivery of basic services.
“After that [business], comes the social aspect whose parts include services not only covering health, education and employment but peace and order, which is the core of being business-friendly,” he said.
“That is why we became business friendly because of our government efficiency and economic dynamism in which we believe that economic development is the responsibility of the private sector and not the government which is a lousy business manager in terms of doing business,” he added.
Good relationship with the private sector, Santiago stressed, is coupled with clear-cut policies.
“So you can embrace that good relationship with the private sector especially the business chambers because it is they who facilitate investments. That is why we became business-friendly because of our policies and policy direction which are very clear,” he said.
Everything for business and investments in the city are well established, Santiago shared.
“We are inviting investors and providing them a peaceful and conducive environment. Add to this the infrastructure utilities for easy transactions so you can see their incentives in developing economic zones and providing investors with tax incentives that pass through the tax incentive board. That is how important the business sector is to us in San Fernando. And we thank the PCCI for recognizing our efforts towards economic development,” concluded Santiago. (JTD)