Press Release
April 22, 2016

POE TO FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS: START A BUSINESS IN 3 DAYS

Sen. Grace Poe, the lone independent presidential candidate in the May 9 elections, made a bold commitment to encourage more Filipinos to start their own business: just three days to complete all permits and requirements.

In a "Meet and Greet" with the Palawan Business Group, Poe said the country is indebted to the business community for keeping the economy afloat.

She said if only it were easier to do business here, more potential businessmen, both local and foreign, will invest in the country and more jobs will be created.

"Without you, the economy will collapse. I would like you to know that as president, I would make sure that applying to start a business will be easy--three days, if I can do that," Poe said.

The Philippines ranked 95th out of 189 countries in terms of ease of doing business according to a 2015 World Bank Report. The report said it would take 34 days and 16 steps to open a business in the country.

Poe, who is counting on both private and public investments to spur employment, said her administration will prioritize reforms to simplify doing business in the Philippines--from registration and acquiring permits to getting credit and paying taxes.

"I will reform the BIR so that we will not have to file monthly, quarterly and yearly. If we can just file half a year or maybe once a year, we should do it that way. I want it to be easy for all of you because I know how difficult it is, being the daughter of an entrepreneur myself," Poe said.

The senator said she will call on all local government units to institute reforms such as processing payments and registrations online, creating more single-window applications, and implementing one-stop shop procedures.

Micro small and medium enterprises make up 99 percent of the economy. Most are involved in wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle industries, services, accommodation and food industry.

In 2012, MSMEs generated a total of 4.9 million--some two million more than large enterprises--accounting for 65 percent of total jobs for that year.

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