Action plan mulled to make RP more competitive

The government’s economic managers together with industry leaders will hold a summit on Sept. 29, 2006 to craft an action agenda that would make the country more competitive in the global economy.

Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila said the summit would be an action-oriented event and not just a discussion forum.

"The Competitiveness Summit would be a venue for various stakeholders in the economy to commit to action points that would enhance the country’s competitiveness," Favila said.

"It aims to secure commitments from key government agencies and private sector organizations on achievable action points for 2006 until 2007," Favila said.

The Trade Chief said that the summit would highlight the actions that have been undertaken by the government.

An action agenda would also be crafted that would contain measures to accelerate and enhance competitiveness.

Best practices would also be considered in drawing up the action points.

The action agenda would take into consideration the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan, the Philippine Export Development Plan and the competitiveness strategies outlined by President Arroyo during her recent State of the Nation Address.

The action agenda would also highlight measures that would increase the Philippines’ competitiveness in international trade in services.

Several meetings among organizations that analyze and speak on RP competitiveness were held to identify areas where much needed actions by both public and private sectors.

The outcome of such meetings would be reported out in the competitiveness summit.

The meetings were attended by the Asian Institute of Management, Management Association of the Philippines, DTI-Center for Industrial Competitiveness, Presidential Adviser on International Competitiveness and the Employers Confederation of the Philippines -Institute for Productivity and Competitiveness, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation, EDC, Board of Investments, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Quality Award Foundation.

Some of the recommendations following the meetings was to focus on unique elements such as people, management, financing, transaction flow and costs, infrastructure, and energy.

To ensure that only implementable action points would be reported out during the summit, pre-summit consultations with government agencies, business sectors, academe, and other private organizations have been scheduled to take place in the months of July, August, and September.

"We are hopeful that the gathering of the best minds in the country’s sectors would craft a do-able and practical formula for the country’s competitiveness," Favila said.

Favila expressed optimism that the improvements to be put in place would bring long lasting results and that the whole country would benefit from positive changes.