Batangas City offers incentives for ‘green’ initiatives to attract more business locators

It is critical, in our view, for every community, city, nation to put incentives in place to properly propel their green economy.  Here's another good example of such a good public policy in place:

By Roderick L. Abad / Contributor

BATANGAS CITY—To further boost the collaborative efforts between the state and the private sector in the fight against climate change, while enticing more locators, this city in the province of Batangas is incentivizing and recognizing business establishments for their environmental causes.

During the Batangas Green Business Summit 2016 held here on Thursday, Batangas City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Enro) Head Oliver C. Gonzales revealed that the city government has launched a project called Incentive Program for Eco-Business District, honoring enterprises that practice environmental initiatives.

He said the awarding ceremony is slated on April 22, when three among the 12 finalists will be declared winners of the Most Eco-Friendly Business District accolade.

Apart from the recognition, they will also receive monetary prizes of P100,000 for first place; P75,000, second place; and P50,000, third place as incentives. This is the first time that Batangas City is holding this activity, which, eventually, will become a yearly citation for outstanding locators of all sizes, that promote “green” business in their own rights,  the Enro officer noted.

“First and foremost, we do this to encourage the business sector to really put in their objectives how to comply and gear themselves toward the ‘greening’ initiatives,” Gonzales said. “At the same time, it’s like mentoring to them on how they can easily comply with the conditions set forth [in our Environment Code or E-Code and City Environment Certificate or CEC].”

Batangas City is one of the pioneers of E-Code in the Philippines. The idea started in 2016 and was drafted in 2007. Then, it was adopted by the City Council and put into an ordinance in 2010. Six months after, it became fully implemented in 2011.

According to Gonzales, the Batangas City E-Code is an “all-encompassing” strategic project tool toward Green Philippines. It is composed of 24 articles with 176 sections.

Also, it  provides incentives for business establishments whose project or building is certified as “Green,” with a 5-percent discount on business permit and 15-percent off for real-property taxes.

“Generally, the life of Batanguenos improved with the implementation of the E-Code,” he said of the positive results of this set of standards for a “greener” community. “So it’s a working ordinance.” To date, about 70 percent to 80 percent of the more than 6,000 business locators in Batangas City are compliant with this, Gonzales said.

Given this, he cited that their city government has been recognized here and abroad for its being a model Green city.

This includes the Gold Award for the 2011 International Award for Livable Communities by the United Nations and Environmental Awards from the National Solid Waste Commission by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau.

Batangas City is also one of the six cities of the Cities Development Initiative of the United States Agency for International Development, which is a key component of a broader partnership for growth complementing the Philippine Development Plan to achieve exclusive and resilient economic progress.