The World Bank’s Business Ready Report
Congratulations to the World Bank for the Business Ready (B-Ready) Report that will be presented and shared globally on an annual basis. I was reading the report and was amazed at the level of detail on the 10 topics covered by it, particularly the factors in each of the three Pillars, namely, Regulatory Framework, Public Services and Operational Efficiency as discussed earlier by Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) Secretary Ernesto Perez.
As a general comment, the generation of the data and the analysis/use of the data are shared by both the public and the private sectors.
1. The private sector consists of enterprises and citizens availing of the services covered in the 10 topics:
- Business entry
- Business location
- Utility services
- Labor
- Financial services
- International trade
- Taxation
- Dispute resolution
- Market competition
- Business insolvency
2. It discussed the enterprises/citizens’ feedback on the stumbling blocks in the delivery of services under the 10 topics resulting in delays that impact on their competitiveness in terms of time, effort and money, particularly for the citizen who has to repeatedly return to obtain the permits and clearances, for example, that they may need for their employment or livelihood projects. Consider the cost not only in terms of finances (transportation cost) but also the effort to stand in line to get the service, which does not allow the citizen to be more productive in their endeavors.
3. The enterprises and the citizens should then provide, in the consultations of government with the private sector, possible solutions that are helpful to business in general (and not only one industry/sector or conglomerate).
4. On the other hand, the government provides/implements the solutions as the government controls the timing of the improvements and reforms that are required to implement the relevant best practices which are implemented in other countries and shared in the B-Ready report.
5. It is also clear that the effort is a whole-of-nation approach, with the key players being the private sector, the national government agencies and the local government units (LGUs), with support from the judiciary and other constitutional bodies, such as the Commission on Audit, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Civil Service Commission.
In conclusion, good governance advocacy group—such as the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), which has around 1,200 members who have extensive management and consulting experiences in the 10 topics covered by the B-Ready report —are willing to help.
In line with MAP’s 2025 priority programs, particularly the focus on Ease of Doing Business and Dealing with LGUs, MAP would be pleased to help in providing the expertise of its committees and members in ensuring the success of the B-Ready initiatives so that the Philippines can avail of best practices from other countries, with MAP members helping in adjusting such best practices to the local environment, as needed.
Other advocacy groups for good governance in the public and the private sectors, such as the Philippine Quality Award, the Philippine Quality Award Foundation and the Center for Global Best Practices, are also willing to help.
Thank you for your attention and we look forward to continuously working with the Arta and the World Bank on the B-Ready reports.
This was lifted from the speech delivered by the author on Feb. 3 at the World Bank—Arta Forum on “New Insight on the Business Environment in the Philippines: Exploring the World Bank’s Business Ready Report.” The author is co-vice chair of the MAP Ease of Doing Business Committee. He is also the chair of Center for Global Best Practices. Feedback at map@map.org.ph and ruyymoreno@gmail.com.
