PCCI calls for reforms to boost Philippine competitiveness at business conference
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has urged the government to prioritise reforms in economic corridors, energy security, agriculture and tax administration to enhance national competitiveness. The call came in resolutions presented at the 52nd Philippine Business Conference and
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has called on the government to prioritise reforms to develop economic corridors, strengthen energy security and modernise agriculture, among other measures, to boost the country's competitiveness. The business group issued the call in its resolutions for the 52nd Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC&E), held on 14 Oct 2026.
The PCCI urged a national business agenda that goes beyond attracting investments 'to creating Philippine value, through stronger domestic supply chains, productive enterprises, competitive workers, reliable infrastructure and energy, efficient trade, and a predictable regulatory and tax environment.' The resolutions covered 10 integrated priority areas needed to attract investments and create value for the Philippine economy.
'These priorities must be underpinned by good governance anchored on accountability, transparency and integrity,' the PCCI said. The group emphasised the Luzon Economic Corridor and opportunities associated with Pax Silica as a starting platform for integrated development of infrastructure, investment, technology and connectivity. It urged the government to prioritise connections among ports, airports, industrial areas, agricultural production clusters, tourist destinations and regional growth centres, and to advance the Greenlane for Contractors in Good Standing, strengthen digital infrastructure, and conduct regular public-private reviews of trade-critical projects.
On energy, the PCCI called for reforms to secure reliable and affordable power, including resolving generation, transmission and interconnection bottlenecks, improving access to distributed generation, renewable energy, storage and energy efficiency, reducing electricity costs, and improving predictability for investments. The group also pushed for developing Philippine suppliers for strategic industries, including launching supply-chain mapping for semiconductors, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
The PCCI stressed the need to modernise agriculture towards integrated agri-food value chains, higher productivity, lower logistics costs and market access. It also urged the government to resolve Customs bottlenecks, advance the National Single Window System, strengthen inter-island logistics, and introduce paperless and small business-friendly trade processes. On tax reform, the PCCI said the tax and regulatory environment should be 'fair, simple, transparent, predictable, taxpayer-centred, risk-based and digitally enabled,' and called for fully implementing risk-based tax audits and rationalising letters of authority, particularly for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The business group urged Congress to pass 15 priority measures, including a general tax amnesty, a Customs amnesty, amendments to the Philippine Ports Authority charter, the International Maritime Trade Competitiveness Act, amendments to the Magna Carta for MSMEs, revisions to the Warehouse Receipts law, and the National Quality Infrastructure Development Act. 'The 52nd PBC&E therefore calls for a whole-of-government and whole-of-business approach that combines immediate, implementable reforms with medium-term institutional and legislative measures,' the PCCI said.
