I. Overview The Philippines is one of the more dynamic markets in the global economy. Its general macroeconomic outlook improved significantly in recent years and the country has made promising headway towards more sustainable and equitable economic development.
Our natural pool of talents and culturally adaptable human resources position the country as the most value-for-money destination for investments in the Asian region. We place high-value on education that equipped our labor force with world-renowned technical competency and English proficiency.
Our generally liberalized policy environment and strategic logistics access point in ASEAN +3 gives us that competitive edge.
Bright spots in the economy include BPO, tourism, mining, agriculture, bio-fuels and renewable energy, and infrastructure. The Philippines is endowed with rich and diverse natural resources that provide seemingly unlimited opportunities.
With national economies and supply chains becoming more and more intertwined, we strive to expand and strengthen international investment agreements with capital-exporting countries to safeguard investors against economic volatilities and hedge against risk.
The government is well aware of the need to focus on total investor-related solutions to nurture investments. Going from strength to strength, the country's comprehensive strategy to attract capital inflows integrates secure and predictable economic conditions with business-friendly policies.
More than just a location, investing in the Philippines is about making that strategic business decision.
Source: Invest Philippines
Recent Investment Reforms - Over the past two years, 13 out of 20 cities in the Philippines carried out 19 regulatory reforms to make it easier to start and operate a business.
- Starting a business is easiest in General Santos, where it takes 22 days and costs 15.3% of income per capita to comply with the 17 requirements. It is more difficult in San Juan, where it requires 21 procedures that take 39 days and cost 26.3%.
- Dealing with construction permits is easiest in Davao City, where it takes 57 days, but more cumbersome in Manila, where it takes 169 days. Local requirements remain responsible for the variation in the number of steps required to build a warehouse.
- It is easiest to register property in Valenzuela and Navotas and more difficult in Cagayan de Oro and General Santos-differences are mainly driven by the performance of national government agencies.
II. Primer on Doing Business in the Philippines
Find out how to go through business procedures and requirements in this comprehensive guidebook on investments. It will direct you in every step of the way in putting up the business of your choice. Take a look.
III. Investment Priorities Plan A range of investment opportunities await businessmen interested to open a business in the Philippines. Learn more from the 2011 Investments Priorities Plan.
IV. Private Public Partnership (PPP) Center The Philippine Government recognizes the essential role of the private sector as the main engine for national growth and development. In accordance with this, pertinent incentives will be provided to stimulate private resources for the purpose of financing the construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure and development projects normally undertaken by the Government.
The government is willing, on a case-to-case basis, to protect investors from certain regulatory risk events such as court orders or decisions by regulatory agencies which prevent investors from adjusting tariffs to contractually agreed levels. Such regulatory risk insurance could take the form of make-up payments from the government to PPP investors, other guaranteed payments, and adjustments to contract terms. The specifics of the type of protection to be offered by the government, and the mechanisms through which such protection will be offered will be part of the contract terms for each project. Such protection will only be offered for solicited projects which undergo a competitive bidding process.
Private sector investors will be selected through open competition under fair and transparent terms. All interested investors will be given a level playing field with reasonable returns and appropriate sharing of risks without compromising the protection of public interests. Through this program, end-users will be provided with adequate, safe, efficient, reliable, and reasonably-priced infrastructure services.
The projects under the PPP Program were selected based on various criteria. Read more
