President Duterte has encouraged the country’s business tycoons to help promote inclusive growth by generating jobs and supporting tax reforms, among others.
The President tried to get the cooperation of the business sector during a meeting with more than a dozen tycoons in Malacañang last Tuesday night.
“Basically, they were being brought on board to help address the issue of how to create a more inclusive economy, especially addressing work and investments, investments in areas of conflict,” Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a Palace press briefing.
Abella said the President’s dinner meeting with the top businessmen was initially set for an hour but lasted for three hours due to the vibrant discussions. The meeting was facilitated by presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.
“They opened discussion, touched on many topics, federalism, contractualization, graft, job creation, and tax reform,” Abella said.
“The President reiterated that he was all for job creation to uplift the people’s well-being,” he added.
Among the tycoons present were Ayala Corp. chairperson Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Philippine Long Distance Corp. chairperson Manuel Pangilinan, International Container Terminal Services Inc. chairperson Enrique Razon, and SM Prime executive committee chairperson Hans Sy.
Also present in the meeting were former President now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president George Barcelon.
Asked about the businessmen’s sentiment on addressing contractual employment, Abella said they are engaged in discussions with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to reach a “win-win situation.”
The businessmen were “extremely happy” after their “uncertainties” about the President were allayed during the meeting, according to Abella.
“As far as PA Joey was saying that their preconceptions regarding the President were settled because of their one-on-one face-to-face conversation,” he said.
“Many of them had apparently never really met the President. But this is the first time they had – they had this face-to-face and according to PA Joey a number of their uncertainties were settled,” he added. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
