Philippine business groups and the 11 Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (PBG-JFC) on Wednesday called on the Marcos administration and the 20th Congress to prioritize 14 legislative and eight executive measures to revive the country’s slowing growth and investment.
The PBG-JFC coalition said these measures should be the focal point of President Ferdinand Marcos’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, 2025.
The domestic economy is inherently resilient and could withstand the challenging external environment, the groups said, adding that it only needs “bold and decisive policy action” to make this happen.
The business community wants to see a unified reform agenda to “help attract quality investments, generate meaningful employment, and strengthen the country’s economic foundation for long-term, inclusive growth.”
The combined 22 bills and executive orders revolve around various economic-enhancing measures.
For the energy and data transmission to natural resource management, the legislative priorities listed by PBG-JFC are the Electric Power Industry Regulation Act Amendments; Cybersecurity Act; E-Governance Act; Digital Economy Act; Open Access in Data Transmission/Konektadong Pinoy Act; Freedom of Access to Information Act; Foreign Investors’ Long Term Lease Act Amendments; National Single Window System; National Land Use Act; Artificial Intelligence Act; Blue Economy Act; Civil Aviation Authority Act Amendments; Philippine Ports Authority (charter amendments); and Holiday Rationalization Act.
In its letter to Marcos ahead of the SONA, the groups also pushed for the following executive actions for its “immediate impact” and effect on investor confidence.
These are: improved implementation of Ease of Doing Business Act; improved implementation of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy Act; reconsideration of the Digital and Integrated System for the Pre-Border Technical Verification and Cross-Border Electronic Invoicing of All Import Commodities; streamlining travel requirements and improve the visa application of foreign nationals; review and suspension of the implementation of a revenue memorandum circular on the taxes on non-resident foreign corporations; improved implementation of Ease of Paying Taxes Act; reconsider Food and Drug Administration Revised Registration Fees; and review of the Extended Producers’ Responsibility Act to better enable private sector involvement.
The PBG-JFC signatories include the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Association of International Shipping Lines; Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines; European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines; Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines; Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Management Association of the Philippines; Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters; and Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation.
