ILOILO – The Province of Iloilo has been recognized as the second Most Business-Friendly Province in the country at the 2024 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit (LGU) Awards, hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
The award was presented to the Iloilo provincial government for its entry titled “Agriculture is Business” which emphasizes the province’s commitment to agricultural development.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. accepted the award during the 50th Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC&E) and the 2024 Most Business-Friendly Awards ceremony, held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City on October 22.
Joining Governor Defensor in accepting the award were Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Center (LEDIP) chief Aulynn Yue Sin, Provincial Treasurer Jean Maire Umadhay, Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo, and Public Employment Service Office officer-in-charge Cynthia Parcon.
PCCI executives, including Regional Governor Jobert Peñaflorida and Engr. Fulbert Woo, president of the PCCI-Iloilo Chapter, were also present.
Additionally, the province received a special citation, a first for Iloilo, for its active support of infrastructure programs that foster sustainable urban development and the creation of new growth centers. This achievement was realized through the strengthening of public-private sector partnerships (PPPs) and a commitment to fast-tracking progress.
Iloilo was among the Top 5 provinces in the final judging of the 2024 Most Business-Friendly LGU Awards, an acknowledgement of the provincial government’s aggressive support for economic growth and development.
The finalists were judged based on significant initiatives under four criteria:
* fast-tracking sustainable local economic development
* ease of doing business
* investment promotion
* enhancing sectoral competitiveness
These initiatives included the adoption of strategies to improve economic growth and employment generation, streamlining business transactions through technological innovations, implementing business-friendly policies, and promoting sector-specific advancements.
This year’s PCCI award, under the theme “Embracing Innovation. Empowering Business. Enriching Lives”, aims to highlight LGU innovations, success stories, and best practices that enable businesses to thrive in sustainable and competitive partnerships with the private sector.
This campaign for LGU business-friendliness among local governments is part of the indicators for the thematic areas of business-friendliness and competitiveness within the Seal of Good Local Governance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government./PN
