by admin | Sep 25, 2017 | Photo Story
PH ENDORSES CONTINUING ASEAN-RUSSIA GROWTH STORY. Following the June visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in Russia, the Philippines (PH) successfully concluded a trade and investment scoping mission in Russia, as well as actively participated in the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on 6-7 September. PH promoted trade and investment opportunities to Russian importers and buyers of food products, government representatives of the Primorsky Territory, officials and members of the Primorsky Chamber of Commerce & Industry, officials of the commercial port of Vladivostok, and the Far Eastern Development Corporation. Leading the PH delegation was Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Rowel Barba (5th from R) with PH Ambassador to Russia Carlos D. Sorreta (6th from L), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director-General Charito B. Plaza (5th from L), Philippine-Russian Business Assembly, Inc. (PRBA) Armi Lopez Garcia (7th from R), and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) Administrator Raul Lambino (6th from R). Other officials were from DTI, the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Philippines-Russia Business Council (PRBC), and the Mindanao Banana Farmers & Exporters Association (MBFEA). DTI Usec. Barba also served as panel speaker during the EEF’s Russia-ASEAN Dialogue, where he underscored the latest developments and business opportunities in PH and ASEAN. He also encouraged private sector members to do business in PH given that among the ASEAN countries, PH is consistently among the fastest growing economies.
by admin | Sep 24, 2017 | Tech Talk
Startup Weekend Bohol Tourism hopes to be one of the many initiatives by local volunteers and the Bohol ICT Council.
It is a 54-hour event where participants get to enjoy and experience how to build a business or a project in just three days.
The organizers have held a couple of pre-activities before the big Startup Weekend Bohol Tourism event this coming September 29 to help introduce the idea and get them to experience a little bit of what the activity is all about – creating innovations and working on them.
Mentors and a couple of participants underwent a fire pitching game where they got to create ideas out of some random words. They got subjected to a barrage of questions to test if their ideas could stand on its own.
The event is in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Provincial Government of Bohol, and the Bohol Investment Promotion Center. It is sponsored by Uniform Solutions, PrintBit, Gwion, Sea Drake Island Cruises, and Just Sizzlin’ (we are still open for sponsorships!). The participants at the event will also be mentored by Michael de Vincent Edwards, Jerome Auza, Aimee Lim, Nelson Buena and Gina Kapirig. With them are judges Mark Phillips, Vicky Wallace, and many more startup ecosystem supporters.
Startup Weekend Bohol Tourism Edition will be on September 29-October 1, 2017 at the Bohol Bee Farm Panglao. If you’d like to register and stay updated, text Zion at 09084213938 or e-mail us at bohol@startupweekend.org and find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StartupWeekendBohol/
by admin | Sep 23, 2017 | Local News / Bohol Balita, Major Events
The Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry {BCCI} commending the Armed Forces of the Philippines – 302nd Brigade in Bohol headed by Brig.Gen. Arnulfo C. Matanguihan and the Philippine National Police – Bohol headed by PS/Supt. Felipe R. Natividad, for their exemplary performance in maintaining general peace and order in the Island Province of Bohol. The BCCI gave them each a plaque of appreciation and sponsored a lunch a la Boodle Fight, as a military way of celebrating friendship and togetherness. Also gracing the event with his participation is PNP Regional Director PC/Supt. Jose Mario M. Espino, as a special guest of the boodle fight activity.
Leading the BCCI during this event is their President, Engr. Albert M. Uy with the Board of Trustees, VP for External Affairs- Mr. Norris Oculam, VP for Internal Affairs – Ms.Marietta Gasatan, Secretary- Mr Steven Lim, Public Relations Committee Chair -Mr. Peter Dejaresco, Peace and Order Committee Chair -Mr. Jess Quipit and IT Committee Chair – Mr. Jerome Auza. Also in the photo are BCCI Exec.Director Ms. Rolaine B. Uy, BCCI Secretariat Nida Bacamante and Jaya Dy and BCCI Member Ms. Daisy Cemine.
by admin | Sep 21, 2017 | Photo Story
DTI strengthens Luzon coffee industry. Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to bridge various gaps in the supply chain to make the local coffee industry more competitive, the Department of Trade and Industry recently gathered coffee farmers, processors, manufacturers, Regional Council Chairs, national government agencies, and members of the academe from the Island of Luzon for the Luzon Island Coffee Cluster Assembly. The assembly aimed to present the national and localized version roadmap of each region, establish an institutional mechanism of roadmap localization and implementation, and learn about coffee quality standards and market opportunities. National Coffee Coordinator and DTI Cordillera Administrative Region Regional Director Myrna Pablo explained the current situation of the industry, especially the gap between demand and production. “The Philippine coffee production is far from serving coffee consumption of the country. Currently, 90 percent of the demand is imported for about Php 12 billion. The demand is still increasing with expanding consumption based among younger generation and night shift workers. Likewise, coffee shops are increasing, and specialty coffee market is expanding,” Pablo said, adding that while coffee production is almost all over the country, the country’s production is very far from sufficiency.
by admin | Sep 21, 2017 | Headlines, Malakanyang Updates, National News
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez convened a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan at the sidelines of the Philippine hosting of the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings.
CHINA TO GRADUALLY INCREASE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO PH. Seeing the assuring growth in the economic relations with the Philippines (PH), China (CN) conveyed that it will increase development assistance to the Philippines.
At the sidelines of the PH hosting of the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, who serves as the 2017 AEM chair, convened a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan.
PH and CN discussed various measures to enhance trade and investment relations arising from the PH-CN Six-Year Development Program (SYDP) for Trade and Economic Cooperation 2017-2022 (SYDP) and the Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation (JCETC).
As part of the realization of the priority activities under the SYDP, the ministers endorsed the finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Parks Development between the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) and China’s Ministry of Commerce.
“This initiative to develop industrial parks in the Philippines will help enhance the country’s manufacturing base and increase domestic production,” said Sec. Lopez.
A ground-breaking activity for some of the infrastructure projects under the SYDP was also proposed to be initiated within 2017. Said activity will be led by the respective infrastructure groups of both sides.
PH, meanwhile, mentioned potential areas for further cooperation including infrastructure, manufacturing (e.g. aircrafts parts, bicycles, e-vehicles, iron and steel, shipbuilding and irradiation facilities), cross-border e-commerce, big data analytics, and creative industries.
Both sides positively noted the improved trade and economic relations between PH and CN resulting from the Presidential Visit to China in October 2016, as well as from the successful convening of the JCETC in March 2017. PH exports to China increased to almost US$2.17 billion in January-April 2017, from US$1.69 billion in 2016. Further, PH exports of tropical fruits to China has increased remarkably in the 4th quarter of 2016 (compared to previous years), following the State Visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to China. In 2016, PH exports of bananas to China increased to US$144.77 million against US$109.15 million in 2015. During the same period, PH exports of pineapples more than doubled from US$16.26 million in 2015 to US$44.27 million.
Minister Zhong reiterated CN’s commitment to help PH rebalance trade by importing more from the country. He also invited PH to the China International Import Expo, which will be held in 2018. The Expo is part of CN’s move to further open its market and increase imports from other countries.
Minister Zhong also expressed his support for the growing interest of Chinese enterprises to invest and explore business opportunities in PH as demonstrated through the various letters of intent (LOIs) presented to the Board of Investments last March 2017.
In conclusion, the ministers agreed to work closely together to implement the consensus reached by their Leaders on pursuing practical and cooperative relations between both countries. PH also thanked CN for its support to ASEAN in driving the negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.
