APELA NG BIZ GROUPS SA KONGRESO: 27 REFORM MEASURES IPASA NA

NANAWAGAN ang 14 na Philippine business groups at  foreign chambers sa Senado at Kamara  na ipasa na ang 27 reform measures na nakabimbin sa 18th Congress na susuporta sa economic recovery.

Sa isang statement, sinabi ng business groups na isinulong nila ang naturang business at economic reform measures noong Hulyo ng nakaraang taon, at muli nilang inihayag ang kanilang suporta sa mga legislative measure na ito.

Magkakahiwalay na liham ang ipinadala kina Presidente Rodrigo Duterte, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, at House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano na nagpapahayag ng suporta ng mga grupo sa 27 legislative reforms.

“With the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic recovery period creating an urgency to move ahead to enact reforms, the group decided to resubmit their recommendations to the President and Congressional leaders,” ayon sa business groups.

Binigyang-diin nila na ang reform package na ito ng 27 measures ay magsusulong ng inclusive growth sa pamamagitan ng paglikha ng mga trabaho, pagsugpo sa kahirapan, pagpapahusay sa  national competitiveness, at pagsuporta sa economic recovery, at mabilis na paglago ng ekonomiya sa 2021 at sa mga susunod pang taon.

Ayon sa business groups, walo sa 27 measures na ito ay kasama sa State of the Nation Address noong 2019, habang ang 19 ay sa  legislative agenda ng Philippine Development Plan’s Mid-term Update.

Ang top 10 priority measures sa talaan ng Philippine business groups at foreign chambers ay ang Public Service Act amendments, Tax Reform Package 2 o ang Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, amendments on Foreign Investment Act, Retail Trade Act amendments, Apprenticeship Program Reform, Build Operate Transfer Law amendments, Freedom of Information Act, Bank Secrecy Law amendments, foreign equity restriction amendments to the Constitution, at Tax Reform Package 3, o ang Property Valuation and Assessment.

Sumusunod sa listahan ang Tax Reform Package 4 o ang  Capital Income and Financial Taxes, Open Access in Data Transmission Act, Water Department Act, Farm Entrepreneurship Act, amendments on Philippine Economic Zone Authority law, Agri-Agra law amendments, Holiday Rationalization Act, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority Act, National Land Use Act, at National Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act.

Hiniling din ng  business groups sa Kongreso na ipasa ang Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board amendments, PhilPorts Act (amend Philippine Ports Authority Charter), Water Regulatory Commission Act, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Act amendments, Commonwealth Act No. 541 amendments, National Transportation Safety Board Act, at ang Philippine Airports Authority Act.

Ang Filipino at  foreign business groups ay may 28 priority bills para sa kasalukuyang  administrasyon.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang Sin Tax bill pa lamang ang naisabatas.

Samantala, ang 14 business groups na nagsusulong sa mga repormang ito ay ang Alyansa Agrikultura, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Foundation for Economic Freedom,  IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines.

Lumagda rin sa liham sa Pangulo at sa Congressional leaders ang Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc., Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc., Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc., at ang Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc.  PNA