Luncheon Meeting

The appointment of Atty. Benjamin "Benhur" C. Abalos, Jr. as Cabinet Secretary establishes a central coordinating function within the Office of the President. The Cabinet Secretary's mandate includes providing timely, relevant, and strategic advice on emerging national, local, and international issues affecting the political landscape, and serving as the President's conduit to national government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, and sectoral groups on matters of political concern.

Across ECCP membership, a recurring priority is the need for strong whole-of-government coordination to ensure that policy reforms translate into practical improvements in investment facilitation, regulatory predictability, public service delivery, and responsiveness to business and sectoral concerns. The Cabinet Secretary's convening authority bears directly on this gap.

Therefore, this Luncheon Meeting aims to:

1. Surface the priorities of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary in strengthening whole-of-government coordination and public service delivery;
2. Identify opportunities to improve coordination between national government agencies, local government units, and the private sector on investment and business-related concerns;
3. Establish mechanisms for constructive engagement between government and the European-Philippine business community on emerging policy and regulatory issues;