Local Economic & Investment Promotion Office - Profile

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Friday, 03 July 2015 - 12:54:01 PM

Batangas City is the capital of Batangas Province and is seen as one of the secondary cities of the country. As a secondary city, the locality plays a critical role in spurring economic development in the southern part of Luzon extending to Region IV-B’s Mindoro Province. In the CALABARZON (Region IV-A), Batangas City is already one of the cities that pose economic potential given its annual income of One Billion Pesos from existing business establishments. Given the presence of the international seaport, there is much more optimism on what the locality can do for the region once the seaport is able to fully bring in new investors, particularly industries supporting the cargo terminal. Likewise, in the 2nd district of the province, it also plays a key role in spurring development to other municipalities which can help realize the Metro Batangas concept as pre-identified by the National Economic and Development Authority’s Regional Development Plan CY 2011-2016.

With the onset of globalization, the economic agenda of countries focus on promoting and sustaining competitiveness. The term competitiveness is underpinned on the ease of doing business in a country, complemented by the local government unit’s (LGU’s) initiative to encourage and sustain investments through a more efficient business registration processes, incentive mechanism (e.g. providing incentives and direct assistance in business registration), and lessening interference of the government in the operations of businesses (e.g. lessening corruption and harassment), among others. Given the pressure brought about by the competition to sustain investments which fuel economic growth of localities and the country, cities need to better manage its activities to be more competitive. With this in mind, the pressure for cities is to have a strengthened partnership with the private sector – business groups, to better gauge their needs and concerns, and find solutions for these. Along this line also, the city needs to strengthen its corporate function as imbibed in the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991.

In 2010, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 2010-113 which enjoined cities to designate a Local Economic and Investment Promotion Officer (LEIPO). The LEIPO is tasked to provide oversight on matters related to investments in the locality. Recognizing the significance of the LEIPO, Batangas City intends to integrate the paradigm on economic enterprise with the LEIPO. Thus, the Batangas City Government is proposing the creation of a Local Economic and Investments Promotion Center (LEIPC).

The LEIPC will help the city government fulfill its corporate mandate as defined by the LGC of 1991. Essentially, the Center, despite being funded by the city government will work with the private sector (e.g. business groups, academic institutions, and research institutions, among others), to ensure the business-friendly environment of the locality, which will lure in more investments. Another function of the Center is to identify revenue generating and enterprise development projects of the city government, which may be implemented by the private sector through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.

Local Economic & Investment Promotion Office Organizational Chart

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Friday, 03 July 2015 - 12:54:01 PM

leipoorgchart

Local Economic & Investment Promotion Office Citizen's Charter

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Friday, 03 July 2015 - 12:54:01 PM

                                                             

SERVICES OFFERED

 
a.Prepare and implement, in coordination with the City Development Council, the annual investments promotion plan;


b.Receive, process and evaluate applications for registration and applications for the availment of local incentives and submit its recommendation to the City Mayor or City Investment and Incentives Board (if established) within a specified period from the official receipt of the application;


c. Assist in: (1) securing licenses and permits; (2) identifying business or joint venture partners, raw materials suppliers and possible business sites; (3) sourcing skilled manpower and service providers; and (4) facilitating the resolution of issues and concerns encountered by business enterprises, among others;


d.Render after-care services to Registered Enterprises as well as to investors in general;


e.Monitor and supervise compliance of Registered Enterprises with their undertakings and the terms of their Certificate of Registration, as well as properly administer the grant of incentives to investors;


f.Prepare and disseminate investments promotion collaterals, e.g., brochures and a website or specific pages of the website of the City for the purpose of information dissemination, including issuing reminders to Registered Enterprises, and providing information relevant to investors, among other information generally relevant to doing business in the City;


g. Conduct briefings to potential investors;


h.Represent the City in trade and investments meetings, conferences, for conventions and other similar gatherings in both domestic and foreign venues as directed by the Board;


i. Collate, analyze, and compile pertinent data and studies concerning areas that have been or may be declared as Investment Priority Areas (IPAs);


j. Establish cooperative undertakings with other Local Government Units, the private sector, National Government Agencies, Non-Government Organizations, or other institutions as may be necessary, useful, and incidental to the effective and efficient promotion of economic growth and investments;


k.Provide technical secretariat support to the City Investment and Incentives Board (if established); and

 
l. Perform other duties and responsibilities assigned by City Mayor and the City Investment and Incentives Board (if established)