BEST OF THE BEST. Mayor Edwin Santiago presents best practices, innovations and initiatives of the city in addressing challenges faced by the business community amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Contributed photo
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Already enshrined in the business group’s Hall of Fame, the city government qualified anew as finalist in this year’s search for the Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Awards of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
At the final judging phase of the search via online last Sept. 29, Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago presented the city government’s initiatives in addressing the challenges faced by the business community amid the Covid-19 pandemic
“Ang ating pinatunayan sa PCCI ay, sa gitna ng pandemiya, tuloy ang hanapbuhay, tuloy ang trabaho at tuloy ang economic activity. Bakit natin ito nagawa? Dahil binalanse natin ang lahat – magsimula sa pagpaplano, implementasyon ng programa, hanggang sa recovery,” said Santiago.
The mayor discussed the city’s efforts to retain ease of doing business culture among its businesses and other stakeholders in the middle of the health crisis, citing the executive orders issued to create health and safety policies and protocols in establishments and workplaces.
These, in conjunction with the ordinances and resolutions passed by the city council on tax amnesty and extension of deadlines for the payment of different taxes.
In terms of actual numbers to back Santiago’s presentation, Joseph Garcia, city business license and permit division chief, reported that new business registrations and business renewals kept comingdespite the pandemic.
For the period of March–September, 706 new businesses were registered in the city, and 354 busines establishments renewed their permits.
Businesses that declared retirement within the March-September span totaled 275, significantly lower than the 517 businesses that closed shop during the same period in 2019.
Garcia attributed the city’s good business environmentto the “processes in place, as mandated and authorized by various agencies” as well as to the policies and regulations implemented by the city government for businesses to remain active.
“We also helped those who closed shops to gradually reopen so they can continue to provide livelihood to others,” he added.
Also included in the city’s presentation are its programs to boost the resilience of nano and micro, small, and medium enterprises by providing them cash aids and materials for their ventures, through the help of other national government agencies.
Also cited in Santiago’s presentation were the city programs for boosting the resilience of mano and micro, small, and medium enterprises during the pandemic by providing them financial assistance and materials for their ventures, through the help of other national government agencies.
The PCCI LGU Awards “seeks to recognize the outstanding efforts and commendable practices of provinces, municipalities, and cities in instituting good governance reforms that will pave way for increased competitiveness of LGUs in promoting local trade and investments.”
In 2016, PCCI already included the city in its roster of Hall of Fame awardees for the said category.
The city’s most recent recognition from the organization was a Special Citation Plaque for its “commendable efforts for the efficient streamlining of business processes.”
The announcement of the winners and conferment of awards for this year’s edition will be on Oct. 7 – 8 during the Philippine Business Conference and Expo. With CSFP-CIO
