The influential Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) is urging senators to come together to resolve the leadership crisis in the Senate, emphasizing that the continued uncertainty in government is becoming a hindrance to investments.

MAP President Donald Lim told reporters that the ongoing tussle for the Senate presidency is adding another layer of uncertainty to the country’s investment landscape, aggravating the current challenges caused by global headwinds.

He said the state of confusion over political leadership is fueling the worsening lack of investor confidence in the country, including among businesses already operating here.

“[Businesses] will invest if there is a certain level of stability, certainty, and predictability,” Lim said on the sidelines of MAP’s general membership meeting on Wednesday, June 10.

“If you show a lot of uncertainty, there is a minimum amount that businesses will accept when it comes to political issues. But if it is prolonged, then we push that back since it appears that it’s not good to invest in the Philippines,” he stressed.

Lim said this makes it crucial for senators to end the “political drama” once and for all so they can shift their focus toward improving the business environment.

“There are a lot of things in the Senate that need to be done,” he said.

Progress on key legislative reforms has largely lagged in the upper chamber in recent weeks due to a tumultuous leadership struggle ahead of the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The Senate is currently led by Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who was elected after a session involving 12 senators last week, which has since been recognized by Malacañang and the House of Representatives.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, however, continues to insist that he is still the legitimate Senate president, as he has questioned the validity of the 12-senator quorum, arguing that a 13-member quorum is needed to replace him.

The new majority bloc in the Senate, led by Gatchalian, has argued that 12 members in a legislative session constitute a valid quorum since there are currently 22 active senators.

At present, Senator Jinggoy Estrada is detained over his plunder case, while Senator Ronald Dela Rosa is in hiding to evade the warrant of arrest issued against him by the International Criminal Court.

For MAP, the uncertainty over the Senate leadership is becoming a major hindrance to legislative work that must be pursued to alleviate the current challenges faced by Filipinos, such as the accelerating inflation.

“Whatever is happening in politics, in the end, the challenge is people are hungry,” said Lim.

“So I hope that the discussions are [related to] business because in the end, business is the one that would drive the country forward. It's not going to be whatever is happening in politics,” he added.

Lim said the uncertainties hanging over the country are making this year’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) a huge missed opportunity.

He said the advantage of hosting ASEAN summits and meetings should have resulted in greater economic growth across key sectors instead of such opportunities being set aside as the country’s political turmoil takes center stage.

“In the private sector, we try to be resilient. We try to do our part and our share. But hopefully, the government would also toe the line, rather than all of these things that are happening,” Lim said.

Last month, MAP called on senators to restore the credibility of the Senate to strengthen the public’s faith in the impeachment process.

The business group said long-term democratic stability should be prioritized over what it described as “short-term political survival.”