Corruption and education are top concerns of business executives

Corruption, education, and dealing with local government units (LGUs) are top concerns for businesses this year, according to the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

Speaking at the business group’s inaugural meeting yesterday, MAP president Alfredo Panlilio said a survey conducted among members in the fourth quarter last year showed corruption as the top concern of businesses for 2025.

Other concerns identified by MAP members in the survey are education, the economy, ease of doing business, climate change, cybersecurity, and dealing with LGUs.

Panlilio said concerns about dealing with LGUs involve the delays in issuance of permits to undertake projects, including those in the telecommunications and power sectors.

To address the concerns, he said this year’s board has set four main thrusts that will guide the group’s activities. These are member engagement, country competitiveness, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) shared prosperity, and investing in the youth.

“To address corruption and ease of doing business, we will continue to participate actively in the programs of the Anti-Red Tape Authority or ARTA,” he said.

In terms of member engagement, he said MAP’s general membership meetings would cover issues that are relevant and beneficial to members and the economy.

On country competitiveness, he said MAP would continue to push for policy reforms that will eliminate corruption, improve the ease of doing business, ensure food security through agricultural productivity, and sustain an enabling business environment for both local and foreign investors.

“The aspiration is to attract greater and more diverse job-creating investments for more Filipinos to be gainfully employed,” he said.

When it comes to the ESG and shared prosperity thrust, he said MAP would continue to promote sustainable practices, ethical leadership, and inclusive growth to create long-term value for members and all stakeholders.

“We will continue pushing for the discourse and activities to champion responsible business, uplift communities, and contribute to a resilient and equitable future for the Philippines,” he said.

He said MAP would also continue its campaign against malnutrition and child stunting in line with the thrust to invest in the youth.

The business group will also continue efforts to urge both the government and private sector to pursue relevant education, health, and wellness programs, particularly for the youth.

“The objective is for the youth to become productive members of society, with competitive skills and capacity that will ensure a progressive economy of the future,” Panlilio said.

In addition to the four main thrusts, he said MAP would pursue other advocacies and programs aimed at helping businesses adapt to developments in the domestic and global landscape.

Source: Philstar

Land use act hinges on local collaboration

Local government units (LGUs) are crucial partners in enacting and implementing the National Land Use Act (NaLUA). NaLUA’s passage would foster cooperation and address land-use challenges, ultimately benefiting all stakeholders – national and local.

This was emphasized by Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow Adoracion Navarro who presented findings and recommendations from her study, “The Need for a National Land Use Act in the Philippines”, at a recent Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P) knowledge-sharing forum. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive collaboration and integration among stakeholders to effectively address land use challenges and proposes the enactment of NaLUA.

“LGUs have a crucial role in managing land use, but they often lack the necessary guidance and support to address the complexities of conflicting land uses and overlapping claims. By promoting sustainable land use planning and governance, the NALUA seeks to minimize negative externalities and disamenities, ensuring the long-term ecological balance and socio-economic development of the country,” she explained.  The NALUA can provide the framework and standards needed to empower LGUs for effective land use planning and governance.

The author acknowledged existing land use management mechanisms but also revealed a critical gap. “Over half (55 percent) of comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) are outdated as of July 2023, and four percent of municipalities or cities lack CLUPs altogether. Similarly, 57 percent of provincial development and physical framework plans (PDFPs) are outdated, with 10 percent of provinces missing PDFPs entirely”.  

This affects optimal land zoning, land reclassification, and land use conflict resolution at the local government level. It results in some LGUs becoming unresponsive to the demand for shelter, infrastructure, agricultural production, environmental protection, and industrial development.

Furthermore, data between 2015 and 2020 suggests a sub-optimal utilization of land. This means that the way land is being used in the country is not the most effective or beneficial for various purposes. Barren lands increased significantly over the years, while land used for annual crops, perennial crops, and fishponds declined.

The LGUs’ level of capacity and understanding of land use planning will directly impact the success of NaLUA’s implementation, should it be finally enacted.  “LGU powers need not be diminished and the NaLUA can, in fact, do the reverse. The presence of sanctions and penalties in the proposed legislation is not meant to disempower LGUs, while the benefits are meant for all stakeholders”. Navarro suggested laying down a proposal for upgrading the technical capacity of LGUs in formulating, updating, and implementing CLUPs and PDFPs.

A transdisciplinary approach is needed to strengthen advocacy for the NaLUA. This approach involves incorporating knowledge and perspectives from various disciplines. “We need other disciplines’ languages so that other people can understand us better and be part of our policy advocacy,” she said.

Navarro concluded that there is an urgent need for a comprehensive national land use governance framework to ensure the sustainable and equitable use of this vital resource. “If the Philippines has a national level legislation on the use of water through the Water Code of 1976 and in the governance of air as a resource through the Clean Air Act of 1999, then why not also for land?”.

The Need for a National Land Use Act.pdf

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Source: PIDS

DoF expanding support for LGU climate projects

The Department of Finance (DoF) said it is ramping up support for local government units (LGUs) on climate financing.

“The DoF stands ready to assist LGUs in the realization of their climate projects, thus advancing the Philippines’ climate agenda as envisioned in the President’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda of establishing livable and sustainable communities,” Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said.

The department said it has been “directing more strategic resources for better adaptive capacity at the local level, investing in resilient communities and local governments, and mobilizing resources for social protection.”

To date, the DoF as chair of the People’s Survival Fund Board has approved 11 climate adaptation projects and six projects for project development grants worth P889.6 million.

The Bureau of Local Government Finance is also planning to help LGUs allocate their revenue towards climate-related projects.

“Furthermore, the DoF has actively formulated fiscal policies such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, the Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP), and the Sustainable Finance Roadmap to foster a more enabling environment for private sector participation in green investments,” it added.

Earlier, the department announced that the Philippines joined the board of the Vulnerable 20 Group of Finance Ministers, organized under the Group of Seven Global Shield Against Climate Risks program.

This helps countries vulnerable to climate risks have more access to financing for disaster protection.

Source: Business World