Regional Development Key for Boosting PH Global Competitiveness

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking into the creation of a National Competitiveness Program. The initiative aims to promote cooperation between the government, the private sector, and civil society within the country’s regions and urban centers. In doing so, the DTI expects Philippine competitiveness to significantly improve.

“Let’s reimagine our country as a group of prosperous and collectively resilient local areas from north to south. This is both geographic diversification and de-risking of our economic engines,” explained Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual. “If we want a better national future, we have to go town by town, city by city, province by province, region by region, and that’s the only way we can be assured nobody is left behind.”

Pascual recently attended the 20th Corporate Social Responsibility Conference and Expo of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF). Through the event, the LCF highlighted the fundamental role of the corporate and civil society sectors in developing an ideal future for Filipinos. The expo also pushed for stronger collaboration between the aforementioned sectors. The LCF primarily encourages its members to enhance their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. Its network consists of 91 of the largest operating corporate foundations and corporations in the country.

The DTI official regarded the country’s civil society as a vibrant sector. Moreover, Pascual furthered that the sector has relevant experience in implementing initiatives to mitigate poverty, which companies can emulate to better their CSR programs. Under Pascual’s leadership, the DTI plans to include the development of regional industries among its priority plans.

Additionally, it will establish a necessary link between state universities and local entrepreneurs. This will also help to boost global competitiveness. Pascual believes that “there will be lots of laggards around us” if the country continues to focus solely on the National Capital Region (NCR). Hence, the new DTI chief also affirmed that he will maintain the One Town One Product and shared-service facilities programs.

Source: BusinessMirror