The leader of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.) has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to pursue governance reforms and inclusive growth to help ensure a stronger Philippine economy in 2026.

In a public statement on Thursday, FFCCCII President Victor Lim said the Philippine economy stands at a decisive crossroads, noting that while the country retains fundamental strengths—demographic vitality, entrepreneurial energy, and robust domestic demand—these will not be enough amid intensifying global uncertainty and persistent domestic constraints.

“The year ahead calls not for complacent optimism, but for disciplined, coordinated, and reform-driven action across government, business, and civil society. While projected economic growth remains positive, it is increasingly constrained by serious headwinds: unresolved governance weaknesses that erode public trust, geopolitical conflicts that disrupt supply chains and capital flows, and a volatile global financial environment,” he said.

Lim said these external pressures magnify the cost of inaction at home and underscore the urgency of decisive structural reform.

He stressed that the government should accelerate foundational reforms with clarity, resolve, and consistency of purpose, pointing to interdependent priorities such as the establishment of a genuinely independent anti-corruption body, benchmarked against international models like Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as the full and enforceable implementation of a Freedom of Information regime.

“Equally critical are systemic and technology-driven reforms to eliminate leakages in public finance. We call for the adoption of advanced digital platforms for real-time budget tracking, open contracting standards, and mandatory transparency mechanisms that actively involve civil society and the private sector in auditing and infrastructure oversight,” Lim said.

Unleashing competitiveness via digitization, EODB

Lim also called for comprehensive digitization of government transactions, saying this should no longer be optional. He urged the strict, uniform, and non-negotiable enforcement of the Ease of Doing Business Act across all local government units, complemented by the expanded and accelerated use of “Green Lanes” for strategic and job-generating investments.

“Reducing bureaucratic friction, compliance costs, and regulatory uncertainty is the fastest and most effective way to attract investments, empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and create more quality employment nationwide. Predictable rules and efficient processes are needed to unleash the Philippines’ untapped competitive advantages,” he said.

Lim also pushed for strategic, economics-driven statecraft in an increasingly fragmented global environment, saying Philippine foreign policy must remain principled, consistent, and firmly anchored on national economic interests.

“The FFCCCII advocates an independent and pragmatic foreign policy that actively promotes increased trade, foreign direct investment, tourism revival, technology sharing, infrastructure development, and strategic cooperation with all major economies,” he said.

He added that economic growth must be inclusive and resilient, anchored on fair competition.

Lim said accelerating the rollout of the Philippine Identification System to expand financial inclusion, fully implementing the Universal Health Care Act, and upgrading national infrastructure to reduce logistics and energy costs are essential investments in productivity and social stability.

“We must also decisively modernize agriculture and aquaculture to strengthen food security and rural incomes, prioritizing empowerment, innovation, and sustainability over dependency-driven subsidies. At the same time, strengthening domestic manufacturing and export capacity—through measures such as CREATE MORE—must be matched by rigorous enforcement of anti-smuggling and anti-dumping laws to protect legitimate local industries,” he said.

“By committing to genuine structural reform—plugging fiscal leakages, enforcing fair competition, advancing social justice, protecting the environment, and empowering productive sectors—we can transform recurring crises into defining reforms that strengthen confidence, competitiveness, and inclusion,” Lim added.