Arangkada gains noted

THE AQUINO administration has posted improvements with regard to reforms sought by businessmen, the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) yesterday said.

“Top level results of the Arangkada Philippines Second Anniversary Assessment are the following: 65% of the rated recommendations are considered to be active or moving while 35% of the rated recommendations are considered dormant. This contrasts with the results of last year’s assessment, where, as adjusted, had only about 51.5% active recommendations,” American Chamber of Commerce Senior Adviser John D. Forbes said in a statement.

The JFC noted progress in infrastructure — due to the public-private partnership (PPP) program — but said there was little improvement in agribusiness and mining. It also said that the ease of doing business had improved as evidenced by competitiveness rankings, but added that much still had to be done.

A full report is expected to be released today at the 2nd Arangkada Philippines Forum.

The report will assess government efforts to address business issues, rating these as no longer relevant, having gone backward, not ongoing, started, having made substantial progress or completed.

A summary of evaluations last year said 41 prescriptions — out of the over 400 identified under the Arangkada initiative — had either been completed or had seen substantial progress. Of the 41, seven were tagged as completed. Efforts involving 187 issues, meanwhile, were said to have been initiated, 180 were not ongoing, 47 had regressed and 16 were no longer relevant.

With regard to PPP projects, the government increased the pace of rollouts last year following delays caused by protracted reviews since the centerpiece infrastructure program’s late-2010 launch.

Two contracts have been awarded so far, for the P1.96-billion Daang Hari-Southern Luzon Expressway link that was given to Ayala Corp. in December 2011 and the P16.42-billion School Infrastructure Project Phase I, assigned last September to the BF Corp.-Riverbanks Development Corp. and Citicore Investments Holdings, Inc.-Megawide Construction Corp. consortiums.

The schoolbuilding project was one of eight deals launched last year. — E. N. J. David, BUsinessworld
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