Makati reconvenes business advisory council

The City Government of Makati has brought together some of the country’s largest business groups to aid the city in charting its economic development strategy.

In a statement, the Makati government said Mayor Abby Binay reconvened the Makati Business Development Council (MBDC) on June 9.

Binay said the MBDC was reconvened for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

"As we reconvene, we are tasked with facing the challenges of recovery and renewal in the coming years. The MBDC will be playing a critical role in providing advice and guidance on programs and initiatives that will help businesses in Makati to restart, rebuild, and grow," she said.

Binay expressed confidence that council members will help develop high-impact innovations and initiatives that will spur business growth and increase the city's competitiveness.

The 10 new members of the MBDC are George Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Calixto Chikiamco, president of the Foundation for Economic Freedom; Edgar Chua, chairman of the Makati Business Club; Michael Arcatomy Guarin, president of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines; Victor Andres Manhit, chief executive officer and managing director of the Philippine Stratbase Consultancy, Inc.; Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines; former Labor Secretary Marianito Roque; Shinichiro Shimada, president of The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc.; Frank Thiel, president of The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and Hyun Chong Um, president of the Korean Chamber of Commerce Philippines, Inc.

Chua said the MBDC would work closely with the local government to advance digitization efforts that would help the city retain its status as the premier business district.

"As we move into financial technology, that is where companies can help in the city's development," he said.

Binay said the MBDC would also identify specific industries the city would like to attract and help create an enabling environment for these sectors.

The MBDC was created in January 2003 under the administration of Binay’s father - former vice president and then Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay - to gather representatives from the business sector and discuss business-related matters.

Through the MBDC, the City of Makati has forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders through public-private partnerships (PPP) to promote better connectivity, mobility, resilience, and sustainability in the city.

Among the city’s PPP projects are the Makatizen Card, which can be used to send or receive money, and the Makatizen App, the first digital citizen app that allows users to report crimes, emergencies, and community concerns.

Also in the PPP pipeline are two big ticket infrastructure projects – the Makati Subway and Makati Life Medical Center in the city’s first district. —VBL, GMA News