PLDT and Smart Strengthen Support for Government’s Ease of Doing Business Reforms

PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications, Inc. are backing the government’s latest initiatives to streamline regulatory processes and enhance the country’s business environment through the development of the Philippine Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Reform Guidebook.

Spearheaded by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), in partnership with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including PLDT and Smart, the EODB Reform Guidebook aims to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies by identifying priority reforms across the entire business life cycle, from entry to closure. It also aims to align government efforts with global benchmarks, such as the World Bank’s B-READY Report.
The PH EODB Reform Guidebook will be officially launched on May 22 as part of the inaugural celebration of the Ease of Doing Business Month, as declared under Proclamation No. 818.

“The creation of this guidebook is aligned with efforts to establish a government that is transparent, efficient, citizen-centric, and business-friendly,” said ARTA Secretary Ernesto V. Perez, adding that the President has always advocated for streamlined and digitalized government processes and services.

Perez also underscored the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in building this guidebook. Addressing participants in a consultation forum, he said: “What does effective reform look like in the context of the Philippine bureaucracy? Even the best-written guide is useless if it doesn't reflect how things actually work and how people actually experience government. That is why consultation matters. You are not here as an audience. You are here as co-authors. You bring what no guidebook can generate on its own: Insight from implementation, familiarity with day-to-day constraints, and understanding how reforms succeed, or how they fail on the ground.”

As representatives from the private sector, PLDT and Smart reiterated their commitment to enabling meaningful reforms that remove barriers to doing business, promote innovation, attract investments, and generate inclusive economic growth. The Group emphasized the importance of a streamlined regulatory environment, particularly in industries like telecommunications and digital services, which are among the enablers of national development.

“PLDT and Smart always stand firm in our belief that collaboration between the government and private sector is key to accelerating reforms and sustaining momentum toward a more competitive Philippines,” said Atty Pamela B. Felizarta, VP and Department Head for Joint Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs at Smart. “We commend ARTA for fostering this open dialogue and for championing reforms that can drive real, lasting impact.”

Since 2019, PLDT and Smart have been working closely with ARTA, government agencies such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Telecommunications Commission, DILG, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, LGUs, and other industry stakeholders and telcos to streamline telco-related permitting processes.

This support is aligned with PLDT and Smart's longstanding partnership with the Government as a whole to narrow the digital divide, bringing the benefits of the internet closer to more Filipinos across the country, and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), particularly on SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.