FINANCE SECRETARY RECTO

The Department of Finance (DOF) has the Growth-Enhancing Actions and Resolutions or GEARs plan in place to ensure that the country is on track to achieve a growth-enhancing fiscal consolidation, which will in turn foster an environment that is conducive to employment-generating investments.

Under this plan, the DOF will act fast on investments through the swift implementation of pro-business reforms, improvements in the regulatory regime, reduction in the cost of doing business, and addressing constraints.

These include pushing forward the amendments to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act to further address investor concerns, tailor-fit incentives, and attract more strategic investments into the country.

“The ease of doing business is what builds investment-led growth that creates more quality jobs in a land whose talents far outstrip opportunities that could harness them,” Secretary Recto said.

With its high multiplier effect on the economy, the government will also vigorously implement the President’s Build Better More program to generate more employment and investments. The government targets an annual infrastructure spending of 5% to 6% of GDP.

The government will leverage private sector capital and expertise through the recently enacted Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code to cut the infrastructure backlog, free up fiscal space for social services, and generate jobs that boost domestic consumption.

Meanwhile, the Finance Chief aims to achieve its revenue collection targets by further enhancing tax administration efficiency to provide more funds for education, upskilling and worker training, health care, and other human capital development programs that will improve the preparedness of Filipinos for quality job opportunities.

“Our greatest asset is our people. This is something even countries worldwide recognize. Thus, we will prioritize empowering them further by investing heavily in human capital development to prime and prepare them for the best and the brightest opportunities ahead,” Secretary Recto