Wish list out on lowering business costs

MANILA, Philippines – The multi-sectoral Export Development Council (EDC) has submitted its wish list to the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) in relation to the rules, regulations and laws it wants changed as part of the move towards lowering the cost of doing business in the country.

Among the proposals submitted by EDC is the law which mandates cargo handlers to give a share of their revenue to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) which has both developmental and regulatory powers.

“PPA earns 10 percent to 20 percent from cargo handling revenues of port operators. The repeal is expected to help lower shipping costs in the country,” the EDC said.

Also included in the EDC’s wish list is the Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide which requires all producers and manufacturers of food grade salt to iodize the salt they produce, manufacture, import, trade or distribute.

EDC deputy executive director Emma Mijares said some producers are forced to import non-iodized salt to meet the demand of their buyers who do not consume iodized salt.

To address this issue, Mijares said an exemption for exporters should be specified.

“I think that one will be done through the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) of the ASIN law,” she said.

The EDC likewise pushed for the repeal of Presidential Decree 1221 which requires all Philippine owned and registered vessels to undertake repairs and dry-docking with Marina-registered ship repair yards.

The other regulations and rules for repeal or amendment proposed by the EDC include the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) revenue regulations on primary registration, updates and cancellation, and BIR revenue memorandum order providing for the requirements and guidelines for the importer’s clearance certificate and broker clearance certificate applications.

Mijares said the EDC already submitted its wish list to NCC’s Project Repeal.

Project Repeal is a program which vows to eliminate red tape in the country by revoking provisions or rules which are no longer necessary or which may be detrimental to the economy.

The program is being undertaken by the NCC in partnership with the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Finance (DOF), Energy (DOE), Budget and Management (DBM),  Tourism (DOT) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

An initial of 17,388 laws and issuances were already gathered for review by the Project Repeal technical working committee from the participating seven government agencies.

Of these, 3,959 issuances would initially be reviewed to undergo repeal or amendment.

The 3,959 issuances are mainly composed of department administrative orders, joint administrative orders, memorandum orders and circulars.