In photo: BOI and DILG-BLGD officials and staff during the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last September 25, 2018 at The Sulo Riviera in Quezon City. From left to right: BOI IAS-Aftercare Service Division Chief Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr., BOI Investment Assistance Service (IAS) Director Atty. Bobby G. Fondevilla, BOI Investments Assistance Center (IAC) Executive Director Atty. Raul V. Angeles, DILG-BLGD Director Anna Liza F. Bonagua, and BLGD-Local Fiscal Resources Division Chief Virginia S. Clavel.

The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s lead industry development and primary investments promotion agency, and the Department of Interior and Local Government-Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on investment facilitation and promotion activities for local government units (LGUs).

The MOA, signed by BOI Investments Assistance Center (IAC) Executive Director Atty. Raul V. Angeles and DILG-BLGD Director Anna Liza F. Bonagua recently (September 25, 2018) at The Sulo Riviera in Quezon City, aims to forge strong partnership between the two agencies through the conduct of investment awareness seminars and the facilitation of inquiries of BOI’s clients on LGU policies, programs, and other concerns that are within the DILG’s jurisdiction.

“The MOA is a welcome development as this undertaking further complements the agency’s various initiatives to strategically promote the country as an investment destination of choice and generate the much-needed employment for our countrymen,” said Executive Director Raul Angeles.

Under the MOA, BOI and DILG will conduct a Local Economic and Investment Promotion Officer (LEIPO) Forum, which aims to equip LEIPOs and other LGU officers with essential information that will help them take on important roles in making municipalities more conducive for investments and doing business.

The agencies are also expected to assign staff member/s to coordinate with, assist, or serve as resource persons in the LEIPO Forum or other identified activities. The MOA also seeks to provide prompt and accurate service to BOI clients by upholding inter-agency information sharing and coordination through available channels, including the use of the BOI-One Window Network (OWN) portal.

The continuing partnership between BOI and DILG as stated in the MOA materialized with the conduct of the BOI-L.O.K.A.L. (Linangin ang Obligasyon at Kakayahan tungo sa Aktibong Lokal na Pamumuhunan) Awareness Seminar Program held recently (October 12, 2018) at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria in Ortigas Center, Quezon City.

During the whole-day seminar, officers from various LGUs around NCR, Region 3, and Region 4 learned business and investment-related information from resource persons from BOI, DILG-BLGD and other government agencies namely Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), Office of the Ombudsman, and the Civil Service Commission (CSC). The attendees were also able to ask and clarify queries and concerns during the open forum part of the activity.

BOI and DILG are among the 28 government agencies which signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to create the Investment Promotion Unit Network (IPUNet) on April 25, 2007. IPUNet sought to complement existing efforts to facilitate and assist investors, and to further promote “the Philippines as an investment destination of choice”.♦

Date of Release: 25 October 2018