Friday, August 22, 2014

DTI urges LGUs harmonization in investment promotion

DAVAO DEL NORTE, August 20 (PIA) - - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) based in the province encouraged recently the local government units in the province to strengthen its investment promotion through standard policies and registration process.

Around 40 office heads in the local government units concerned in investment promotion, business permits and licensing, treasury and assessor assembled on August 13 at Big8 Corporate Hotel to a Forum on Business Permits and Licensing System cum Local Investment and Incentive Code Harmonization in the province.

Romeo Castanaga, provincial director of DTI – Davao del Norte, said that since the establishment of the provincial investment and incentive code, their office advocated to the cities and municipalities to have their codes synchronized with the province in terms of substance and form.

The Davao del Norte Investment and Incentive Code (DNIIC) was enacted last March 2014 containing 11 chapters.

Castanaga said that among the features of the code were the incentives to distressed projects, expanded non-fiscal incentives, and the responsibilities of the registered enterprises, which include an undertaking of a community based corporate social responsibility (CSR).

He added that his predecessor, now Davao City DTI Chief Edwin Banquerigo, formulates the code that encompassed the investment opportunities of the local government units in the province.

Castanaga disclosed that Tagum City was the first one to synchronize its incentive code to the province.

Vedastito Galvez, DTI region XI division chief on investment promotion, said that they are promoting to other provinces as a model the investment code of Davao del Norte.

Galvez said that this code will also help the investment promotion unit in the cities and municipalities to further economic growth in their area.

He also said that aside from the investment and incentive code, their office are also evaluating the possibility of harmonizing the business processing system in the region.

“Some have 5-6 steps to secure business permit, but I think we can still lower it down to 3-4 steps,” Galvez said.

He added that they are still consulting with the concerned offices in the LGU for its implementation. (PIA 11, Michael Uy)

No comments:

Post a Comment