Government vows to improve RP’s competitiveness

The government vowed to improve the country’s ranking on the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WYC) by getting the help of the private sector in implementing programs specifically those related to education.

“Next year we will see the effect. Hopefully we can be at the middle of the pact,” Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila told reporters at the sidelines of yesterday’s National Competitiveness Council (NCC) forum.

Favila, who is co-chair of the NCC, is reacting on the result of the study of Swiss-based Institute of Management Development (IMD) that ranked the Philippines 45th out of 55 countries in terms of competitiveness.

The secretary said he is confident the Philippines will improve its ranking next year after falling three notches this year.

“I think we will see the effect next year. There is a lag time. The effects of the improvement we implemented will be felt next year,” Favila explained.

When asked to name the improvements, Favila said President Arroyo will enumerate all the accomplishments of her administration at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

Favila said they are asking businessmen to help the government develop the country by investing in the provinces.

Investments have already spilled over in the provinces like Cebu, Baguio City and Cavite.

With regards to the 55th ranking given to the Philippines in terms of the student-teacher ratio for primary education, Favila said getting more teachers is not the solution.

“My suggestion is to get the private sector involved in the cyber education of children,” Favila proposed.

NCC co-chairman Cesar B. Bautista said the goal is to improve the English proficiency of students by 30 percent three years from now.

Bautista said by 2010, high school graduates’ English proficiency must be at least 70 percent, better than the current 57 percent proficiency today.

Although, he could not recall the data for science proficiency, Bautista said it is even lower than English. He said without the basic knowledge of science, English and math, it is not productive to attend college.

For his part, Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Professor Federico Macaranas said the Philippines must work on its human resource competency in order to improve its competitiveness.