Manila: Citing the economic importance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Tuesday called on the government to ensure secure data-sharing operability among government offices to eliminate redundant business names and tax registration processes. This was among the 13 proposals of the PCCI aimed at further uplifting MSMEs, based on the resolution it issued during the day to help institute changes in government.
According to Philippines News Agency, some of the proposals aimed at improving the business environment and ensuring ease of doing business are greater access for affordable financing through the Department of Finance, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Small Business Corp. (SB Corp); capacity-building through the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, and local governments to help MSMEs participate in regional and global value chains; and for DTI, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and local chambers of commerce to accelerate the sector’s digital transformation through targeted training, digital toolkits, and access to e-commerce platforms.
In terms of good governance and anti-corruption, the group urged the government ‘to put an end to unabated, continuing, and excessive corruption in government projects and transactions by instituting strict monitoring, transparency, and accountability mechanisms across all levels of governance.’
On digitalization and innovation, the government was called upon ‘to invest in, regulate, and swiftly adapt Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and emerging digital technologies to enhance efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness in public service delivery, while fostering innovation, data sovereignty, and global competitiveness across both public and private sectors.’
To further support the agriculture and energy sectors, the PCCI encouraged the government ‘to adopt an integrated approach to strengthen the agriculture and energy sectors through innovation, investment, and sustainability to ensure food and energy security, enhance productivity, and improve national competitiveness.’
Converge ICT Chief Executive Officer Dennis Uy, who chaired the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, said the need to empower businesses on digital technology is based on the fact that the country’s digital economy has been rising for several years, with the 2024 expansion at 7.6 percent. ‘This steady growth was primarily driven by digital-enabling infrastructure, e-commerce, digital content, and government digital services. There is no doubt that the future is digital. And that future is already here,’ he said in his speech on Tuesday.
He also noted the importance of having a sovereign cloud, which will allow local data to be stored, processed, and protected within the country instead of having it stored and processed in infrastructure overseas. He said having sovereign cloud ‘ensures that our national security, economic resilience, and public trust are not outsourced’ as this benefits government agencies, banks, hospitals, local enterprises, and the national defense. ‘And it matters even more in an era of AI, where data isn’t just a byproduct of activity, it’s the fuel for innovation, and the foundation of decision-making,’ he said.
Uy said the country is ‘best positioned’ for these digital enhancements because it is strategically located in an area where many international cables converge, it has a young and tech-savvy population, a fast-growing digital economy, strong government policy direction, and an active private sector that helps boost investments in data centers.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who represented and delivered President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s speech during the closing ceremony of the two-day event, said the government has been promoting the use of digital technology to boost businesses and lessen opportunities for corruption by reducing human interaction. ‘Automated systems ensure consistency while digital platforms make transactions traceable,’ he said.
He said initial steps towards making the people adept at technological innovations have been made, and the government seeks the business sector’s continued cooperation to ensure ‘an efficient government service that promotes transparency.’ ‘Let us all harness the power of digital transformation to create a more effective, competitive, and inclusive Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines),’ he added.