The United States has cited the favorable business environment in economic zones managed and operated by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) amid what is perceived as a cumbersome bureaucracy prevailing in the Philippines.
The 2023 Investment Climate Statements on the Philippines of the US said bureaucracy, poor infrastructure, high power costs, slow broadband connections, regulatory inconsistencies, and corruption remain disincentives to investment in the Philippines.
While the report noted Philippine bureaucracy can be slow and opaque, it noted “PEZA has received positive feedback for its regulatory transparency, no red-tape policy, and one-stop shop services for investors.
The report noted business registration in the Philippines is cumbersome due to multiple agencies involved in the process.
Some US investors also described customs, and immigration processes can be burdensome, it noted.
On customs, the report said the US Embassy in Manila has received multiple reports from American businesses of overly invasive searches, inconsistent customs charges, and solicitations of “facilitation fees” (e.g., bribes) from some customs officials.
