By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINE CONGRESS will prioritize a measure that would create a multi-year strategy to help local enterprises be more competitive in the global market, as well as a bill promoting sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, according to the office of the Senate president.
The proposed Tatak Pinoy Act and Blue Economy Act were among the four priority measures that lawmakers discussed in its pre-Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting on Monday.
“We discussed the priority measures that the Senate and House should pass in the upcoming Second Regular Session,” Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said in a Viber message to reporters.
Mr. Zubiri’s office clarified that the Tatak Pinoy and Blue Economy bill are not LEDAC priority bills but will be proposed for its inclusion in their common legislative agenda.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will convene the LEDAC on Wednesday in Malacañang.
The proposed Tatak Pinoy Act seeks to create a multi-year strategy that would boost the capacity of local enterprises to offer globally competitive products, goods and services.
The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) hopes the measure will help reduce Filipinos’ preference for imported products.
“There are a lot of products that often have a little difference or even have the same quality [with imported products] but the mentality that imported is better still prevails,” ECoP President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said via phone call.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President George T. Barcelon said in a phone call that the Tatak Pinoy bill will help the country achieve its goal of becoming a predominantly middle-class economy by 2040.
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Council Vice-Chairman Jose Ma. “Joey” A. Concepcion III said via Viber that the bill will help MSMEs become globally competitive.
“Giving priority to local enterprises means more jobs and revenues for local and the National Government,” Mr. Concepcion added.
Meanwhile, the proposed Blue Economy Act seeks to “serve as the basis for marine spatial planning, determination of investments to enhance maritime domain awareness, the preservation of value and sustainability of ocean resources, and their protection from threats such as land-based pollution and overfishing.”
The blue economy is an economic model seeking the sustainable utilization of ocean resources through green infrastructure and technology.
Two other measures to be included in the common legislative agenda are the Philippine Defense Industry Development Act and amendments to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization law.