Councilor Peter Laviña told MindaNews Sunday the function is not within the mandate of the City Business Bureau and the Davao City Investment Promotion Center.
He said there is a need for the local government to promote business particularly pro-active programs that will help MSMEs.
He said the business bureau is so tied up with regulatory work while the DCIPC has a very limited function in investment promotion.
Laviña said the city government has to attend to the need for business promotion using its own means, adding the DTI, being a national government agency, pursues its own thrusts.
"DTI is pushing national priorities that may not be the thrusts of the LGUs (local government units)," he said.
The councilor said his proposal is to merge in one unit the functions of the Business Bureau and DCIPC and other functions such as MSME development, and consumer protection.
He said he first pushed for the creation of the unit in the 14th City Council during the review of the Local Investment Code.
He said during the review he attempted to introduce reforms at the DCIPC but that the council did not act on it.
The review was archived, he said.
Laviña said he did not think the DTI had also failed to do its job since its objectives are national in scope. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)