PCCI to offer on-the-ground info during IATF meetings

MANILA, Philippines — With the private sector now on board, expect the government task force on pandemic response to have a clearer picture of the health crisis and consequently make better decisions, according to the country’s biggest business organization.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) made the assessment following the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow the group’s officials to serve as resource persons in discussions of policies and measures to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as well as reopen the economy.

“We are happy about that because we can help,” PCCI president Benedicto Yujuico said referring to the IATF decision, in an interview with “The Chiefs” on OneNews.

“Instead of a slow process, we can accelerate the gradual but responsible opening of the economy. That’s what we want to happen,” Yujuico said.

With PCCI officials serving as resource persons in IATF’s policy meetings, Yujuico said the group could offer on-the-ground information to help the government make better decisions.

“Just like for example, localized quarantine, we will suggest that if they want, we will give them localized information so that they can tailor incentives or regulations for specific areas, specific districts, not blanket or one size fits all. We can’t have one size fits all,” he said.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. who is also IATF spokesman, said on Friday that PCCI officials may join IATF meetings and share insights on business, trade, and the economy as resource persons.

The PCCI appealed for representation in IATF discussions saying some policies and guidelines adopted by the task force were impractical and could worsen the situation for industries.

For instance, Yujuico said that based on his conversation with the head of the semiconductor industry group, the requirement to wear face shields is not suitable for assembly workers as the protective equipment makes it difficult for them to work and see clearly what they’re doing.

He said businesses have also expressed concerns regarding the move of the government to allow resumption of businesses without ample public transportation for workers.

Another concern is the cost of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or swab tests for employees, which he said micro, small and medium enterprises cannot afford to cover.

While testing is not mandatory for all employees, the government is requiring PCR testing for workers showing symptoms of the virus.

Given the impact of the pandemic on the economy, he said both the private sector and the government are now seeing the need for change in mindset when it comes to approaches to food security and employment.

In terms of food security, he said it is time to stop being reliant on imports given the risk other countries could decide to just stop exporting due to the crisis.

With many overseas Filipino workers returning to the country without jobs as a consequence of the pandemic, he said there is also need to attract manufacturing firms that would create employment opportunities.

He said Vietnam is able to attract many manufacturing firms moving out of China to diversify their supply chains by providing incentives.

The Philippines, he said, could attract these firms instead through policies that would allow the government to negotiate with foreign manufacturers so they could be given incentives.

One of the legislative measures being pushed for immediate approval by PCCI to help attract investments is the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act or the recalibrated version of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act.

CREATE seeks to immediately cut the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent from 30 percent, considered the highest in Southeast Asia. The bill also seeks changes in the incentives system.

“This will actually serve as an incentive to people who want to come here. We need to bring down taxes because we are not competitive,” Yujuico said.