Press Release
March 5, 2016

POE: GET RID OF RED TAPE IN GOV'T TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENTS

SAMBOAN, CEBU--To create jobs and opportunities for young people and citizens under her "Gobyernong may Puso," leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe vowed to eliminate corruption and bureaucratic red tape, particularly those involved in processing investment applications and pioneering industries

Poe, who continues to top pre-election surveys, said the government must ensure that it is building the right climate for investors to come in, and this includes providing an assurance that government offices would not be corrupt and the processes would not be unnecessarily laborious.

"Naniniwala ako na sa ating mga polisiya na paglilinis ng gobyerno at pagtatanggal ng panggigipit sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan, mas maraming trabahong malilikha sa ating bayan. Mas maraming magkakaroon ng kumpiyansa na mamuhunan dito 'pag alam nilang hindi kurakot ang namumuno," Poe said during a press conference in Samboan, a touristy town in Cebu.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported net foreign direct investment (FDI) flows of only $5.45 billion in January-November 2015, much lower than the investments coming into other ASEAN coutnries. Vietnam and Thailand, for example, attract around $12 billion in FDIs annually while Indonesia gets $18 billion.

Poe said she will simplify the business application process and seek a review--and amendment, if necessary--of the Anti-Red Tape Act to improve the business climate in the Philippines. She filed a resolution in this regard and authored the Third Reading-approved Freedom of Information in the Senate which mandates transparent simplified procedures in government.

"Bawasan natin ang mga kung anu-anong useless na mga requirements," she said.

Under her "Gobyernong may Puso," Poe said there will be a level playing field among business entities and transparent transactions in all government agencies. In particular, she said she would look into the transactions in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which had been the subject of complaints of many Filipino taxpayers.

"Ang isang gobyerno kailangan nakikinig rin sa kanyang mga tinutulungan at nasasakupan. Marami na tayong narinig na mga pagrereklamo at hindi patas na pagtrato. Patuloy pa rin ang undercollection; marami pa rin ang hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis," Poe pointed out.

This, she said, would not be tolerated under her administration, if she wins.

"Ginagarantiya ko na magiging tama ang aming pamamalakad. Hindi kami papanig sa mga ayusan lamang dito sa tabi-tabi," Poe said.

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