MORE than a dozen industry organizations and business chambers on Tuesday urged the 18th Congress to prioritize passing several key economic-reform measures to improve the Philippines’ competitiveness and attract more investors.

In a joint statement, the groups said the bills they would like to see passed include amendments to the Public Service, Foreign Investment and Retail Trade acts and the Build-Operate-Transfer and Bank Secrecy laws; the Apprenticeship Program Reform; the Freedom of Information Act; and the lifting of foreign-equity restrictions.