Press Release
July 24, 2019

Zubiri highlights Ease of Doing Business law, MSMEs at the Philippine Shopping Mall Summit

Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri gave an opening address at the Philippine Shopping Mall Summit held at the Sheraton Manila Hotel in Pasay City. Zubiri, who sponsored the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act (EODB-EGSDA), addressed a crowd that included the movers and shakers behind the nation's most prominent shopping malls and retail brands.

Following the signing of the signing of the law's Implementing Rules and Regulations on Wednesday, 17 July 2019, Zubiri told the shopping mall industry convened at the summit that with "ARTA's strict implementation of the EODB-EGSDA, we expect to attract foreign investors and other global market players to pierce into the Philippine market in the hope of driving prices down to competitive levels. If we can improve business climate in the country, we can be the toughest rival of top shopping destinations in Asia."

Under the supervision of Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), government agencies are expected to clear bureaucratic bottlenecks by adhering to strict government service delivery timelines of three (3) working days to process simple transactions, seven (7) working days for complex transactions, and twenty (20) working days for highly technical transactions.

Zubiri is hopeful that with ARTA in place, the nation will see a substantial growth in its micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. "This law will encourage more people to go into their first small-scale ventures, such as mall stands and kiosks selling specialized products, because it will now be so easy to get the business permits, licenses, certifications, or clearances that they need as new entrepreneurs," he said.

He also invited the shopping mall industry to invest more in MSMEs, saying, "Let us help the sector grow beyond the usual consignment sale arrangements by tapping local producers and integrating suppliers and manufacturers in the local supply or even global value chain."

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