IN A move to further improve the business climate in Bacolod, a team led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia met with the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) officials recently to discuss the latest trends and innovations on how to fine-tune its "ease of doing business" and other policies related to transacting business with the public.
The NCC is a public-private body that develops a strategy for the long-term competitiveness of the Philippines through policy reforms, project implementation, institution building, and performance monitoring.
Leonardia said: "We consider the NCC results as a guide in setting the direction of the city. NCC is like a compass that tells us where we are and where we are going to. Consulting with them can make our city more competitive and we can attract more investors."
The NCC, in its National Competitiveness Index (NCI), ranks cities according to four factors: Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, and Resiliency.
Joining Leonardia at the NCC meeting at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Head Office in Makati City were George Zulueta, vice chair of the City Development Council (CDC), and LEIP (Local Economic and Investment Promotions) officer Jonah Javier.
On the side of NCC during the conference were Guillermo Luz, co-chairman for the private sector, who was the executive director of the Makati Business Club; program officer Lizamyl Buquid, who is also a trade and industry development specialist of DTI; and program officer Herminio Viterbo Jr. of the DTI Competitiveness Bureau. (PR)