05 August 2020
Magandang hapon po sa inyo!
[Acknowledgments]Today’s signing of the Joint Memorandum Circular series of 2020 is a significant undertaking as it depresses the challenges our logistics sector currently faces.
For many years, especially now, amidst the limitation of movement due to the COVID-19, napakaimportante na naa-address natin ang mga issue on Ease of Doing Business (EODB).
The need to streamline and go online, as well as the online payment of fees and charges are really very important. This will greatly minimize the ongoing concerns, especially on health hazards, the personnel in the port, and the transacting team. This will eliminate the bottlenecks and definitely promotes efficiencies.
Nabanggit nga ni Director General My Belgica kanina—naalala pa pala nya ‘yung una naming pagkikita. Sabi ko nga, streamlining and going digital transaction is the ultimate Ease of Doing Business. ‘Pag talagang nagawa na natin sa mobile phone, hindi lamang sa computer, ayan na po ang talagang ultimate Ease of Doing Business.
This is aligned again with the message of our President Duterte to work on greater e-governance na ilang beses niyang naulit in the last SONA. The recent implementation of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) since yesterday likewise made online transactions even more relevant. This is the way to balancing health and economy. A safer way to reopen the economy with minimized risk of transmission.
We acknowledge and thank the signatories, who I believe all have the passion and commitment to automate their operations. They have actually started their digitalization efforts much earlier. And for this we recognize and thank the leadership in the Bureau of Customs (BOC)—Commissioner Rey Guerrero.
Alam natin yung e2m (electronic-to-mobile) niyo inumpisahan nyo na noong nag-uusap pa tayo about the emerging port congestion at that time. And again, I thank you and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) really for addressing those concerns, which really brought down the utilization rate in the ports and really averted the port congestion. Kayo pong magkasama ni PPA General Manager Jay Santiago really worked hard on this one and of course, ang inyong mga port corporations—yung mga companies in the port operations.
Of course, you are both under the leadership, respectively, the BOC under Sec. Sonny Dominguez of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the PPA under Sec. Tugade of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), who again, I must thank profusely for really helping us. Alam nyo marami tayong tina-try na i-address, especially ‘yung lowering of the shipping cost and ‘yung mga charges ng mga shipping lines. And it was Sec. Art’s idea to put up a shipper’s protection office under the PPA. Innovation po nya ‘yun to really address the high cost of international shipping rates. Another Department Order (DO) that helped lower demurrage charges by adding more free days doon sa shipping unloading time, and also another DO for lowering the shipping rates, especially for agricultural products. Malaking tulong po, DOTr at PPA. Maraming salamat sa tulong ninyo sa area ng trade and industry.
As you know, ang bottom line po nito ay hindi naman para sa Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It’s really for the people and the lower prices of goods. ‘Yang mga pumapasok dito at ginagawa ng ating mga manufacturers ay dinidistribute sa mga consumers. Kaya siguro talagang ngayon ang inflation natin is very mild at 2.7, just today announced.
Tinignan ko nga ang detalye noon. Actually, sa food negative ang inflation. So ang ibang sector ang mga tumaas, pero dito sa mga food and other products ay bumaba po ang ating inflation.
I must also commend the relentless drive of our Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) DG Belgica and his team in pursuing many EODB reforms to further lighten the burden of our stakeholders and for meaningful EODB reforms for the people. So hindi po ito para sa bilangan, kundi para sa tao talaga. We’re not after the EODB World Bank ranking here, but really to make it, in the end, easy for the people. After DTI’s handling of EODB—kung saan with the help of ARTA also nag improve ang ranking to 95th from the 124th position. With all these reforms, we look forward na yung ating 95 will even improve hopefully in the line of 70s or 80s. In this case, ‘pag nasa 70s ka, mas pasado ka sa mga 90s.
Our beloved President Duterte does not want to see anymore long lines. Ayaw nya ng pila, nasabi niya nga at nabanggit din kanina, especially sa government offices.
So itong pag move into online, it’s really the ultimate EODB, as we say. And this now our ‘new normal’ and in fact, a ‘better normal’.
So again, my congratulations and thanks to all our fellow servants in government and our private sector partners who made this possible.
Maraming salamat po! Good afternoon!