Good governance and anti-corruption headlined the 51st Philippine Business Conference (PBC) Resolutions urging President Marcos Jr. to put an end to what they call an “unabated, continuing, and excessive” misuse of public funds by corrupt government officials in cahoots with politicians and project contractors.
The 51st PBC Conference with the theme “Now is the future: Unleash the Power of Digital Transformation” prioritized the resolution on corruption at the conclusion of the two-day conference. As customary, the PBC Resolution is presented and submitted to the President for his immediate action. This year, President Marcos Jr. has begged off to attend the closing ceremonies of the PBC due to pressing matters, sending Executive Secretary Bersamin in his stead.
CHAIRMA OF PCCI innovation committee
PBC Resolutions are summaries from all the recommendations gathered from various PBC area conferences held earlier by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on the run up to the final PBC.
However, PCCI chairman on science, technology and innovation committee Ferdinand Ferrer said, the 51st PBC Resolutions was recently revised to prioritize the recent flood control scandal that exposed the flagrant involvement of high level public officials and private contractors in phantom projects and angered Filipinos.
On its first resolution, the PBC urged government to institute strict monitoring, transparency, and accountability mechanisms across all levels of governance.
“Ensure that public officials and private partners involved in collusion are investigated, prosecuted, and penalized to the fullest extent of the law, and that stolen public funds are recovered and redirected toward programs that genuinely serve the Filipino people, especially the poor,” the PBC Resolution stated.
This can be done by, first, establishing stricter monitoring, auditing, and reporting mechanisms in all government projects to ensure full transparency and integrity.
Second, the PBC urged for the institutionalization of open governance systems and publishing data on project implementation, procurement, and fund utilization for public access.
Government is also asked to enforce accountability and sanctions on public officials and private entities involved in corruption and collusion.
Also, the PBC urged for the creation of multi-sectoral oversight bodies with private sector participate to strengthen governance and integrity in public projects.
The second major resolution passed by the PBC is on digitalization and innovation where government is urged to invest, regulate, and swiftly adapt to Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and emerging digital technologies to enhance efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness in public service delivery, while fostering innovation, data sovereignty, and
global competitiveness across both public and private sectors.
The national government is urged to lead in building a digitally empowered economy through a secure and inclusive digital ecosystem founded on robust data governance, ethical AI deployment, and interoperable digital infrastructure that safeguard national interests, promote innovation, and ensure that technology benefits all Filipinos.
To pursue this, the PBC recommended the formulation and implementation of a National AI and Digital Transformation Roadmap; expansion and modernization of digital and physical infrastructure; launch of digital and AI literacy for Filipino workforce; encouraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing interoperable,
transparent, and secure digital systems; and provision of incentives and support mechanisms for enterprises that adopt digital technologies; and ensuring inclusive access to technology and connectivity across all regions.
The third PBC resolution touches on agriculture and energy. The PBC approved the recommendation for the government to adopt an integrated approach to strengthen the agriculture and smart agriculture systems and in the energy sectors.
This resolution identified eight strategies to implement to proposals to implement this proposal. These include digital agricultural land mapping program; establishment of cold chain and post-harvest facilities; promotion of agribusiness; development of a comprehensive renewable energy roadmap; strengthen energy independence by reducing reliance on imported fuels; further rural electrification and digital energy infrastructure systems; and energy conservation programs.
The fourth in the PBC’s major resolutions is on micro small and medium enterprises development and ease of doing business to ensure the small businesses can participate in the supply value chains.
Under this resolution, the PBC has urged the national government to improve the overall business environment, facilitate the ease of doing business, and enhance MSME competitiveness to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
The PBC, which is organized annually by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, further resolved that government ensures that policies and programs enable entrepreneurs to access financing, streamline business processes, strengthen innovation capacity, and participate actively in regional and global value chains.
This can be done by improving access to affordable financing for MSMEs.
The departments of trade and industry, tourism, and local government units should support MSME participation in regional and global value chains through capacity building, accelerate their digital transformation; streamline regulations; digitalize government services; and, to streamline and harmonize the process of converting single proprietorships to one person corporation.
In conclusion, the PBC strongly called on government to pursue these resolutions in synergy with all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government to foster transparent governance, secure food and energy systems, empower MSMEs, simplify business processes, and drive digital transformation—anchoring the Philippines’ growth on innovation, integrity, and inclusiveness.
