Institutionalize the need for regulatory impact assessment (RIA) on existing/new government requirements (NEDA)

As a result of the NCC-TCF Working Group on Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) meetings held last March 20 and April 11, 2007, the regulatory load procedures and practices imposed on business by the government serve as impetus and challenge in the preparation of a RIA strategy for the country.  As the NCC-TCF WG RIA looks toward formulating a regulatory system that is both protecting and enabling, emphasis on compliance and enforcement of the RIA is primordial.              
Since the NCC-TCF WG RIA supports the importance of initiating means to enhance the Philippines’ investment climate in order to attract more investments to the country, preparation of a Terms of Reference (TOR) with emphasis on compliance and enforcement of the RIA has been initiated.  The TOR will focus on four (4) major scopes, namely: Identification of sectors and areas, Review and provision of an external perspective on specific issues, Development of a regulatory strategy and framework, and Capacity-building for national government agencies (NGA’ s) and local government units (LGU’ s). 
In a recent meeting of donor partners, the task of introducing and implementing the RIA as part of the reform process in the various regulatory agencies seems to be a daunting task due to sensitivity of the subject and the complexity of the problem.  Thus, the need for a study to find out the experience of other countries that have introduced RIA in their regulatory bodies and the lesson to be learned from them.  Donor partners stated that the objective of the study is to determine the best manner of introducing and implementing the RIA as part of the regulatory process in the Philippines.  The study will consist of two parts; a) review of the experience of two countries who have successfully adopted the RIA in their regulatory reform; at least one country shall be from Asia with similar cultural and income facets as the Philippines, and b) proposing a way for the Philippines to prepare the condition in implementing RIA including the choice of agencies and the pace of coverage together with choice of laws/regulations to be addressed.
The study is expected to be finished in 12 months so that initial benefits in Philippine competitiveness can be realized in 2010.