Head of influential Fil-Chinese organization calls for governance reforms

The head of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) is asking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to institute reforms in governance reforms and intensify efforts in inclusive growth to ensure a stronger economy in 2026.

In a public statement on Thursday, FFCCCII president Victor Lim said the Philippine economy stands at a decisive crossroads, that is, while the country retains fundamental strengths — demographic vitality, entrepreneurial energy, and robust domestic demand — those alone will not suffice 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 headwind: unresolved weaknesses in governance that erode public trust, geopolitical conflicts that disrupt supply chains and capital flows, and a volatile global financial environment,” he said.

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

Accelerate foundational reforms

The FFCCCII head stressed that the government should accelerate foundational reforms with clarity, resolve, and consistency of purpose, underscoring interdependent priorities, including the decisive establishment of a genuinely independent anti-corruption body, benchmarked against proven international models such as Singapore and Hong Kong, alongside 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, EOBD

Lim likewise called for a comprehensive digitalization of government transactions that is no longer optional, and a 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,” he said.

“Predictable rules and efficient processes are needed to unleash the Philippines’ untapped competitive advantages,” Lim stressed.  

He suggested that the government develop a strategic, economics-driven statecraft in a fragmented world, even as the FFCCCII head underscored a Philippine foreign policy that must remain principled, consistent, and firmly anchored in national economic interest.

Independent, pragmatic foreign policy

“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.

Also, Lim said economic growth must be inclusive, resilient, and anchored on fair competition.

Thus he stressed, accelerating the functional rollout of PhilSys to expand financial inclusion, fully implementing the Universal Health Care Act, and upgrading national infrastructure to reduce logistics and energy costs must be made 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. 

Strengthen domestic manufacturing, export capacity

At the same time, Lim underscored, strengthening domestic manufacturing and export capacity — through measures such as CREATE MORE — must be matched by a rigorous enforcement of anti-smuggling and anti-dumping laws to protect legitimate local industries.”

“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,” the FFCCCII head added.