The Philippines now stands in a better position to attract more investments as the Marcos administration becomes more receptive to the calls of the business sector for important appeals such as tariff adjustments to help them stay afloat. 

In an interview, MPIC chief finance, risk, and sustainability officer Chaye Cabal-Revilla pointed out that supporting the private sector, which is an active partner of the government, will primarily help deliver quality services to the people.

"It is to the benefit of our country and of the public in general for the government to also support the private sector and the foreign investors without us, on our side, in us being able to provide the magnificent, good public service that's supposed to be being offered by the government," Cabal-Revilla said. 

"We are the operational arm of the government. And we are happy right now that they appreciate the things that we do. Because even from a quality standpoint, quality of service, across power, water, toilet roads, light rail, we have done a good job," she added. 

Big-ticket projects eased

According to Light Rail Manila Corp. president and CEO Juan F. Alfonso, the "more favorable" regulatory environment presently will also help establish big-ticket projects, especially in the transportation sector. 

"The observation that the current administration means business and wants to work with the private sector is true now. Also with our sector after actually four applications in the last eight years, we finally got our tariff fare adjustments this August," Alfonso said. 

"Keeping these tariff adjustments, at least, based on the contracts, allows the government to invite new capital. For business, it helps recover and increase the cash flow," he added.

Last August, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. approved the fare adjustments for both LRT-1 and LRT-2 lines, citing the improving employment figures and easing headline inflation rates, which he said would allow passengers to cope with the fare increase. 

LRT-1 and LRT-2 minimum boarding fees increased to P13.29 from P11, with an additional P1.21 per kilometer or km traveled from P1/km.