Arangkada

Agribusiness

Producing only about a fifth of the Philippines' GDP while employing a third of its total labor force, this multibillion-dollar sector clearly has room for growth. Given that food security has become one of the world’s mega concerns, the combination of agriculture and business offers substantial opportunities.

IT/BPO

The IT/BPO sector is the fastest growing of our Seven Big Winners – it is the largest in the world in voice services and expanding fast in non-voice/KPO, employing more than half a million highly-trained and skilled workers and, while it is worth around $9 billion today, it hopes to grow into a $25-billion industry by 2016.

Creative Industries

This industry has significant potential to create wealth and jobs as it can draw upon the rich and varied base of creative talent in the Philippines. Excellent business opportunities exist in digital content development, apps development, gaming, animation, and mobile TV.

Infrastructure

Characterized by consistent underinvestment, infrastructure development in the Philippines has become a cornerstone of the new administration, seeing Public Private Partnership as the way forward. Substantial projects are being readied for bidding in 2011 and 2012.

Manufacturing and Logistics

Best known for the semiconductor/electronic components subsector, manufacturing has great potential to expand its product base if crucial issues are addressed. The country is ideally located to manage the storage and distribution of goods and equipment to the region and across continents.

Mining

Estimated at $1.4 trillion, the Philippines' mineral reserves represent one of the largest in the world. While the industry's potential is appreciated by many investors, local government policies restraining mining development need to be addressed by the national government.

Tourism, Medical Travel, and Retirement

In 2010, tourism contributed 11.4% to GDP and 12.1% to national employment; the implementation of the new National Tourism Act and investment in infrastructure development should improve prospects for this high-potential sector with its high job creation coefficient.

Latest News

April 30, 2012 - JFC Letter to Sen. Recto re: Customs Modernization and Tariff Act | April 30, 2012 - JFC Letter to Sen. Recto re: Rationalization of Fiscal Incentives | April 27, 2012 - JCCIPI-JICA Seminar on the Improvement of Transport Logistics through Batangas Port | April 26, 2012 - Department of Energy Sec. Almendras’ Presentation at the April 2012 JFC Energy Forum | April 25, 2012 - Legislative Tracker – April 2012 | April 19, 2012 - Traffic Solutions for Metro Manila: A Realistic Approach | April 19, 2012 - Presentation of PEZA Director General Lilia De Lima at the Euromoney Conference | April 19, 2012 - ICT can usher in a low-carbon future — Angara | April 18, 2012 - Costs of bad management | April 16, 2012 - Tesda, foreign chambers buoy up tech-voc training | April 16, 2012 - Intel tapped for Tesda tech-voc ICT training | April 16, 2012 - ICT Not Fully Tapped – Angara | April 13, 2012 - Bidding for LRT Line 1 extension project underway | April 12, 2012 - Kennon Road may be privatized – DPWH | April 12, 2012 - $700-M Quezon power plant expansion eyed | April 12, 2012 - The State of Education in the Philippines in 2012 | April 12, 2012 - Strategic Priorities | April 4, 2012 - ASEAN Faces full Integration Constraints | April 4, 2012 - Ramon Ang wants to build airport in Bulacan | April 4, 2012 - BIR targets P40 billion from 100 tax cases |

Welcome to Arangkada Philippines

For too long, the Philippines has been described as having an underdeveloped economy of immense potential. In this decade, perhaps more than at any other time, it finds itself on the threshold of vast possibilities. If things remain as they have been, the economy could be stuck in a middle income trap, unable to grow rapidly into the high-income status that is being attained by more and more of its affluent neighbors. However, if crucial improvements are implemented now, the Philippines could be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the next several decades and can significantly reduce poverty.

Arangkada is a comprehensive menu of recommendations for the country at this important crossroads. Published in December 2010 by the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in the Philippines (JFC), it reflects proposals of the 2,000 foreign and domestic business members of the JFC who are prepared to invest continuously and heavily in the country and who all envision a brighter future for all Filipinos. For this to happen, however, the business climate must be constantly improved. While still too early to tell its full impact on policy reform, Arangkada has already allowed for more open and dynamic interaction to take place between the business community and government as shown by the support it has received from both sectors.

Through this website, which serves as a benchmarking tool with which global investors can learn more about progressive change as it happens, the JFC intends to provide a fair and balanced look at the business and investment climate of the Philippines. It will also continuously urge all sectors to accelerate the rate of reform paving the way to increased competitiveness, higher productivity, and faster, more inclusive growth. The JFC is committed to ask for and constructively support the changes needed for this to happen in the years to come.