The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry awarded Bataan as Most Business-Friendly Province 2023 last October 26 at the Manila Hotel.

No just once, not even twice, but thrice! It will be remembered that Bataan received the same award in 2018 and 2021, making this the third time for the province to receive said award. During the final judging last September 26 via Zoom, Governor Joet Garcia was asked how the Province maintains a business-friendly environment; to which he responded, “First and foremost, we institutionalized our Public-Private Partnership and Investment Center several years ago. So, we have a team of experts ready to accommodate all business inquiries at the Provincial Level. They help facilitate linkages, from big-ticket projects to smaller projects, to partners in order to set up their business here in the Province.”

Garcia also underscored big-ticket infrastructure developments, like the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, Coastal Road-Dike to Bulacan, and the Bataan Transshipment Hub, that will be strategic for the Province in positioning itself as an investment destination of choice in the Philippines, and make Bataan a center of economic activities in between regions with high gross domestic product.

“When it comes to our labor force, meron po kaming scholarship program which caters to 13,000 scholars. This is to make sure we have a supply of good and talented workforce,” Gov. Joet also emphasized. He likewise highlighted that Bataan has a Capacity Building program for Barangays and encouraged LGUs to use Digital Payments for government and business transactions throughout the historic peninsula. “Ang na-award-an po natin through PPP, out of 170 Billion in pledges in 2022, is 114 Billion with Notice to Award, which translates to almost 70% conversion rate,” he added when asked about the status of 2022 PPP Pledges.

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