Philippine employers’ association urges for waiver of licence fees

In addition, the Philippine Chamber Commerce of Industry (PCCI) has urged for the provision of wage subsidies and accelerating vaccination. 

PCCI president Benedicto Yujuico said businesses are looking to the government to waive the fees for the renewal of existing permits and licences amid the pandemic. “Let’s reduce the transaction fees. Let’s have a moratorium on expiration of existing permits and licenses,” he said in a speech at the National Employment Recovery Strategy Pre-Summit Dialogue for Businesses. 

In addition, Yujuico called on the government to implement more wage subsidy programmes. “The wage subsidy would provide some relief for businesses in paying employees’ compensation and allow for some savings,” he said. 

To increase the pace of vaccination, he proposed awareness and education programmes on vaccines to encourage more to get the jab.  

In his speech, he also suggested that the government provide financial incentives to businesses which complied with health and safety measures to help offset additional costs in doing so. 

READ: Philippines to dole out compensation to COVID-19-positive workers

Other topics Yujuico touched on included providing entrepreneurial and business startup assistance or livelihood kits, training programmes that include e-commerce and digitalisation, and a sectoral skills framework that would be responsive to the fast-changing skills requirements of industries and to provide incentives to retain the labor force in the country, according to Philstar Global.