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TIRED of
the recurring disruptive political noise in Metro
Manila, investors are now looking for other sites—not in
another country—but in the provinces, that can host
their businesses.
The
Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) is now helping
provincial cities and towns become conducive to business
by instilling in them the values of good governance to
be ready for the expected entry of more investments
escaping from the political noise that has become a
major turnoff to businessmen in Metro Manila.
Jesus
Estanislao, former finance secretary and ISA chairman,
said since much of the powers have been devolved to the
local government units (LGUs), they can now fashion the
inflow of investments to their respective areas without
getting affected by problems or issues in the national
government.
Estanislao, speaking at the ISA Public Governance Forum
Wednesday at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, said
the ISA has developed its own public governance system
(PGS) strategy to help LGUs snare investments fleeing
the metropolis.
Its
primary aim is to make the operations of the local
departments efficient and subsequently make the LGUs
business-friendly.
Estanislao cited the case of the City of San Fernando,
the capital city of Pampanga, which managed to cut the
processing and release of business permits to only two
hours from the previous two months through the PGS
program.
“When
they are ready, we will take them to road shows so the
program will be translated to investments,” he added.
So far,
of the 24 cities enrolled in the program, Cebu and San
Fernando are ready to show off to the investment
community their governance strategies, he said.
The
program, he said, can be completed by the LGUs in two to
three years, and the ISA will certify those who excel,
which would help them get the all-important investments,
because the certification is recognized by leading
corporate groups in the
US.
Christian P. Zaens, ISA executive director, said the
participating LGUs go through four stages in the PGS:
initiation, compliance, proficiency and
institutionalization.
San Fernando,
Tagbilaran, Marikina and Iloilo have made it to the
proficiency stage, the best achievers thus far.
Zaens
said the high correlation between good governance and
growth has already been established globally. |
