DILG urges LGUS to become centers of growth

To further improve business processes at the local level, the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) converged other national agencies involved in the business sector recently at Estancia Resort Hotel, Tagaytay City on the development of the framework for increasing competitiveness and ease of doing business. (Photo: Department of Interior and Local Government/ Facebook)

MANILA–The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday urged all local government units (LGUs) to become centers of growth by attracting more investments in their localities in line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to improve business processes at the local level.

DILG Officer-in-Charge Catalino Cuy said that by increasing competitiveness and ease of doing business, LGUs can attract more investors to pour resources into their localities.

“With more investments, there will be more income for the LGUs and more jobs will be created for the constituents,” Cuy said in a statement.

He also called on highly-urbanized cities and LGUs who had already earned high income out of the business registrations to also utilize their funds for service delivery and development projects.

“Instead of just keeping these as surplus funds, we encourage them to spend them for social services projects and initiatives that will improve the lives of their constituents,” Cuy said.

To further improve business processes at the local level, the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) converged other national agencies involved in the business sector recently at Estancia Resort Hotel, Tagaytay City on the development of the framework for increasing competitiveness and ease of doing business.

BLGD Director Anna Liza Bonagua said the result of the inter-agency workshop sets the direction of DILG programs on business friendliness and competitiveness for the next five years.

“By 2022, the DILG envisions to develop competitive LGUs that have improved their financial capabilities and do not just solely rely on their meager Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) anymore but rather they are able to create jobs and provide effective and efficient delivery of basic services,” Bonagua said.

During the three-day event, representatives from the DILG, Department of Trade and Industry (Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, National Competitiveness Council and Board of Investments), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Department of Finance-Bureau of Local Government Finance, Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shared the business-related programs and projects of their respective offices.

The resource person, Francis Gentoral, guided the participants in identifying the issues and concerns arising from the LGU competitiveness and ease of doing business; formulating and harmonizing outputs, outcome and target; and developing framework and key messages.

He also guided them to identify the roles and interventions of their respective agencies so that these pursuits will complement one another.

“The best strategy for an LGU to attract more investments and create more jobs is to build its competitive advantage,” Gentoral said.