Report: DTI chief's resignation not politically motivated

MANILA, Philippines - The resignation of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo was a personal decision and not politically motivated, contrary to speculations, according to a report.

Domingo filed his resignation in mid-September while the country is preparing for the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Organization Summit in November.

President Benigno Aquino III asked the DTI secretary to postpone his resignation until after the summit.

A report from the Pacific Strategies and Assessments (PSA) revealed that Domingo prioritized business more than politics. According to their source, the DTI chief was not a "political animal."

"... [T]here is no doubt that he leaves DTI in better shape than he found it," the PSA's source said.

Domingo introduced the DTI's automated business name registration system during his first 100 days in office. This reduced the time needed to register a business name to 15 minutes.

Under Domingo's leadership, the DTI jumped to the seventh spot from the 18th spot during the previous year in the 2015 Executive Outlook Survey. The Board of Investments, the DTI's investment promotion arm, also jumped in its ranking to ninth place this year.

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He also stressed the need to promote small and medium enterprises (SMEs) enterprises to expand and sustain the country's economic growth, the PSA report said.

During the APEC preliminary summits, Domingo encouraged member nations to address the constraints preventing SMEs from fully participating in trade across Asia Pacific.

Aquino appointed Domingo in 2010, following his stint as Undersecretary of the DTI Industry and Investments Group from 2001 to 2004.

Philippine Economic Zones Authority Director Lilia de Lima is being considered to replace Domingo, according to the report. - Patricia Lourdes Viray

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