The Arangkada Philippines Project (TAPP) is a cooperative agreement with the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AmCham).  It aims to enhance the growth of key economic reform sectors (agribusiness, creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing and logistics, mining and tourism) through the conduct of research into constraints to more rapid economic growth, and advocacy of reforms to create a better business environment and investment climate.

The Arangkada Philippines Project is a USAID/Philippines program under the Partnership for Growth (PFG), a bilateral initiative.  The PFG represents a partnership between the Philippines and the United States to promote broad-based and inclusive growth. USAID is working with the Government of the Philippines, the private sector and civil  society organizations to help put the Philippines on an accelerated growth trajectory that benefits the majority of its population. This four-year, $1 million project – with additional funding from AmCham – started on September 5, 2012, and addresses the PFG intervention theme of regulatory quality.

ACTIVITIES

TAPP employs an across-the-board approach to business reform. In order to respond to unpredictable actions in the investment climate, such as new opportunities and requirements that may arise, flexibility in this process is key.

The project promotes advocacy toward the enactment of a PFG-supportive legislative agenda, leverages partnerships to support investments, conducts assessments, disseminates information on the progress of economic reforms and organizes an annual workshop.

By increasing trade and investment while simultaneously improving the policy environment, The Arangkada Philippines Project is contributing to accelerated and sustained broad based economic growth.

RESULTS

Since the beginning of the project, the Arangkada Philippines Project has conducted a high-level annual forum to review and discuss progress on recommendations for improved business climate and economic growth put forward by the Joint Foreign Chambers in 2010.

In pursuit of this economic reform agenda, the Project also supports the preparation of letters and statements from the Joint Foreign Chambers to the Office of the President, principals of concerned national government agencies, and concerned Senate and Congressional Representatives to advocate for legislative priorities.

GOAL

To enhance growth of key economic reform sectors through the conduct of research on the constraints to more rapid economic growth and advocacy of reforms to strengthen the country’s investment climate.

OBJECTIVES

• Advocate implementation of key growth sectors and other reforms
• Promote sectoral reforms in growth cities outside Metro Manila, including USAID Cities Development Initiative cities
• Prepare and circulate a series of Business Reform Policy briefs
• Pursue enactment of business/economic legislative agenda
• Leverage partnerships with domestic/foreign business groups