Foreign business groups are urging the Philippine government to speed up economic reforms, warning that slow implementation of existing laws could weaken the country’s competitiveness and limit investment opportunities.
Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, said the economy remains resilient but needs faster policy execution to sustain growth and attract more investors.
Speaking at the 15th Arangkada Philippines Forum, Hinchliffe said passing legislation was not enough if implementation failed to keep pace with business needs.
“We have legislation. Bills become laws, and then the laws are implemented. But we don’t feel they’re moving fast enough,” he said.
He called for clearer government strategies, concrete reform measures and firm implementation timelines to help businesses navigate regulatory hurdles and respond to emerging opportunities.
“We need to be fast enough to compete, fast enough to innovate, and of course fast enough to deliver results and not just rhetoric,” Hinchliffe said.
The forum, themed “FAST: Forging Ahead for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” brings together government and industry leaders to discuss priorities ranging from digitalization and artificial intelligence to infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, food security, tourism and exports.
In a message to the gathering, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also called for practical measures to improve the investment climate, strengthen industries and deepen public-private sector cooperation.
Marcos said economic progress should translate into better jobs, broader opportunities and stronger communities.
For the foreign chambers, the challenge is turning policy commitments into measurable results. Hinchliffe stressed that discussions between government and industry must lead to actionable reforms that can be implemented quickly enough to improve the country’s ability to compete for investment.
The call highlights the gap between policy-making and execution as the Philippines seeks to sustain economic growth and attract capital in an increasingly competitive regional market.
