THE Nordic Business Council of the Philippines (NBCP) wants two current members of President Aquino’s Cabinet to remain in office.
NBCP Vice President Erik Nielsen said they would want to see Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) Director General Lilia de Lima and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. to remain part of the administration of presumptive President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
“We have no wish list, but it is more desirable if there is continuity,” Nielsen said.
De Lima’s term of office is coterminous with the president. She has been with Peza since its inception, during the time of former President Fidel V. Ramos. On the other hand, Tetangco is the only BSP governor to serve two terms. His stay with the BSP will end in 2017.
De Lima has been praised by the foreign chambers for largely taking away red tape in Peza-operated economic zones and for being a one-stop shop for companies looking to invest in the country.
Meanwhile, Tetangco, who has been the BSP governor since 2005, has been widely credited by economists for strengthening the central bank’s ability to promote growth and stability.
As for the rest of the potential members of Duterte’s Cabinet, Nielsen said they want to see experienced individuals who can get rid of corruption.
On the policy side, Nielsen said the NBCP is happy with the eight-point economic agenda that Duterte presented.
“On face value, they are positive,” he said.
Duterte’s eight-point economic agenda includes continuing and maintaining the current macroeconomic policies, acceleration of infrastructure spending, ensuring attractiveness of the Philippines to foreign direct investments, pursuing a genuine agricultural development strategy, improvement of land administration and management system, strengthening of the basic education system, progressive taxation, and improvement of the Conditional Cash-Transfer Program.
“We are bullish on the Philippines and see continued economic growth. We are open to changing the economic provisions of the Constitution,” Nielsen said, while adding that he does not see any change in strategy among Nordic companies that want to establish operations in the country.
Nielsen also believes that Duterte can muster the support of the Legislative branch of the government in pushing for his economic agenda.
The NBCP, with more than 100 member-companies, was established in 2012 to promote and facilitate trade and investment between the Philippines and Nordic countries.
Image credits: Alysa Salen