ENCOURAGING COMPETITION. The Philippine Competition Commission conducts regional roadshow on Philippine Competition Act for local stakeholders on Wednesday (Aug. 28, 2019) in a hotel in Iloilo City's Mandurriao district. Arnold Roy Tenorio, director of PCC's communications and knowledge management office, said the commission supports this city's effort to develop public markets through a public-private partnership model. (PNA photo by Gail Momblan)
ILOILO CITY -- The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has backed this city’s effort to develop public markets through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The PCC has conducted a regional road show on Philippine Competition Act for local stakeholders in a hotel in this city’s Mandurriao district on Wednesday.
Iloilo City has considered PPP an option to implement priority infrastructure initiatives amid budgetary constraints.
“We need to enter into PPP. It will ensure revenues for the city government. Our markets are also in deplorable state. We want to have the best public markets in Western Visayas,” Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said in a statement.
Arnold Roy Tenorio, director of PCC’s communications and knowledge management office, said this city’s scouting of prospective investors is in line with the thrust of the commission to propagate competition all over the country.
“Iloilo is now looking for partners to develop public markets, looking for private partners for the management of facilities being undertaken by entities that have financial muscle and more expertise that the consumers will benefit in the end,” Tenorio said in an interview.
“Mayor Treñas is moving in the right direction when he was opening up the management of public facilities like public markets to more competition, allowing the private sector,” he added.
Tenorio emphasized that the culture of competition is important for the country to see the economic growth that will trickle down to everyone.
“If you have competition, it means that more people are participating in a certain business,” he said.
The competition in markets can offer lower prices, better quality of products, and more choices of products to consumers.
Tenorio also noted that the 2019 Clean and Green Market Competition launched in this city on August 25 also jived with the advocacy of the commission to build competition.
The 2019 Clean and Green Market Competition is open to all public markets that involve vendors associations and barangay officials, with the aim to maintain and sustain cleanliness in markets.
With this kind of program, Tenorio said Treñas is taking competition as “an integral concept of his governance.”
“Treñas is saying that with competition comes innovation, and with innovation, people will be provided with better services,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tenorio said Chapter 16 of the Philippine Development Plan advocates the national competition policy that lays down the guidelines to be implemented throughout the country.
Part of the effort entailed in the chapter is the “review of local ordinances and rules to ensure that local levels are free from anti-competitive provisions.”
“An ordinance is anti-competitive when it was crafted in such a way that it prevents more businesses or entities to participate in a particular sector or industry,” he explained.
The national competition policy will be cascaded to all localities all over the country, he said.
“The entire Philippines was given a new leaf because we have new local government officials. Everyone has the next three years to look into this,” he noted.
The PCC is currently working with priority sectors identified to have anti-competitive concerns.
Among these sectors are concerned with manufacturing, rice, pharmaceuticals, air and land transport, logistics, E-commerce, among others.
The regional roadshow has also visited Cebu City, Davao, Leyte, Bacolod, Baguio, and La Union.
After Iloilo City, Tenorio said the roadshow will be brought to Legazpi, Albay. (PNA)
