Gov’t key to sustaining gains of improved WB Doing Business ranking – Zubiri

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ significant improvement in the World Bank’s (WB) annual Doing Business Report is a welcome development that must be coupled with the notion that there is a need to keep in step with the challenges posed by the better ranking, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri stressed.

“Leaping over 29 other countries from 124th to 95th in the World Bank (WB) ranking because of our Ease of Doing Business (EODB) law is truly noteworthy,” Zubiri said in a statement. 

“Congress has hurdled major stumbling blocks and we are hoisting that as a challenge to the government,” he added. 

In the report released Thursday, the WB noted that the Philippines improved in three areas: Starting a business, dealing with construction permits, and protecting minority investors.

READ: PH jumps 29 notches in World Bank’s latest ‘Doing Business’ ranking

Malacañang lauded the report, with Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar attributing the development from “broad regulatory reforms such as the Ease of Doing Business Act.” 

Zubiri served as the main author and sponsor of the Ease of Doing Business Law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018. 

READ: Palace lauds high PH rank in World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report

Zubiri further stressed that all government agencies “have been tasked to improve and speed up delivery of services. We have even provided for stringent penalties for non-compliance.” 

All out effort

“However, making a go of our economic and social aspirations calls on all government frontline and regulatory agencies, not just a few, to adhere to the framework of the Ease of Doing Business,” he added. 

And while Zubiri noted  Anti-Red Tape Authority as “critical to our continued success,” he added “there remains much to be done.”

“All national and local agencies are expected to connect to the government data center of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, an important part of raising efficiency in the delivery of government services,” he said.

“We have tasked it to create a Central Business Portal for faster government transactions,” he added.

The legislative branch, Zubiri said, already provided the framework. 

“The budget remains a very important tool to put flesh into the potential arising from our improved rank,” he said. 

“When the Senate convenes next month, we shall remember this as we discuss the national government budget. We will step up with the challenges posed by our rank in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Report.”/gsg