by admin | May 16, 2018 | Headlines
Pasay – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) organized a Roundtable Meeting with top Philippine business executives to welcome Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Ministry of Finance James Marape last 16 May 2018. The meeting was organized to spur trade relations between PNG and the Philippines (PH).
“We are committed in having Papua New Guinea as a strategic economic partner through greater bilateral trade and investment ties, as well as substantive engagements in APEC. We are optimistic that even as we develop broader links of friendship between our two countries, we can expand opportunities for trade and investment,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.
According to the trade chief, PNG can look into investment opportunities in agricultural products as well as oil and gas exploration in PH.
Likewise, PH can export more processed food, electronics, machineries and equipment, packaging materials and appliances to PNG. To strengthen trade relations between the two countries, DTI is also proposing a bilateral economic cooperation through a Joint Economic Commission (JEC).
Meanwhile, Prime Minister O’Neill said: “Our relationship with the Philippines is very strong. We believe in the same principles.”
The Prime Minister also opened the discussion on an agricultural partnership. He highlighted the vast agricultural land in PNG and their small population, which is an opportunity for PH to produce rice in PNG. “We want to promote rice in Papua New Guinea, and we want it be a Filipino partnership, rather than anyone else.”
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol agreed in getting Filipinos to invest and plant rice in PNG. “We can help them produce their requirements and export to us the surplus. We can be assured of a steady rice supply,” the Agriculture Secretary said. He further explained that, “Philippine land resources are finite, but the population is growing too rapidly, the offer to use PNG land for our rice makes sense.”
“Our relationship with Papua New Guinea in terms of agriculture will be simple: we will train their people, help them develop their areas. And in return, they will assure that we will have enough rice for our people,” said Sec. Piñol.
There were 24 top business executives invited to the forum, like International Container Terminal Services’ Ricky Razon and Christian Gonzalez; First Pacific Company’s Manuel Pangilinan; LT Group of Companies’ Dr. Lucio and Michael Tan; SL Agritech’s Henry Lim Bon Liong; Jollibee’s Ernest Tanmantiong; Double Dragon’s Injap Sia; DMCI Sid Consunji; Century Canning’s Chris Po; Frabelle’s Francis Tiu Laurel; and SM Holdings Inc.’s Jeffrey Lim.
The event was also attended by PH Ambassador to PNG Bienvenido Tejano and PNG APEC Authority CEO Christopher Hawkins.
PH-PNG trade has also covered areas in training and assistance in Airline and Health & Medical Services. There are also Filipino businesses located PNG like the LT Group, and the RD Fishing PNG Ltd and Frabelle (PNG) Ltd., which are both involved in fishing.
On November 2018, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is set to visit PNG along with a group of business delegates
by admin | May 16, 2018 | National News
The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI), the country’s lead investments promotion agency, recorded a Php195.7 billion worth of investment approvals for the January to April 2018 period, an increase of 28 percent compared to the same period last year where it posted Php153.1 billion.
“The strong macroeconomic fundamentals and the continuous policy reforms sustained the increase of investments in the country,” Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Ramon Lopez said.
“The additional projects registered in April maybe moderate but over the coming months we express confidence more investors will continue to come in and make up for the shortfall. We also expect that Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) will pick-up as its outlook is always long-term which will generate more jobs and business opportunities,” Secretary Lopez said.
Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo elaborated that the bulk of the investment projects for the month of April came from the six air transport projects of Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL) with a combined investment amount of Php19.05 billion while the biggest single project approved was the Php5.2 billion project of MWM Terminals, Inc., a public-private partnership (PPP) known as the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange in Coastal Road.
“These six projects by PAL alone indicate there is strong passenger traffic demand and once operational, it will re-energize the tourism industry especially when Boracay reopens before the end of the year,” Undersecretary Rodolfo said.
The renewable energy/power sector remained as the number one source of investments with Php104.3 billion in the first four months of 2018, up 401 percent from last year’s Php20.8 billion in the same period. This was followed by the transportation and storage sector which generated PHp37.5 billion, up by a remarkable 1566 percent from Php2.25 billion in the same period last year. Manufacturing investment projects meanwhile reached Php15.9 billion, a three percent uptick from last year’s Php15.4 billion in the same frame. The water supply, sewerage and waste management Sector (Php13.9 billion) and Real Estate Category (Php12.7 billion) on the otherhand rounded up the top five sectors.
Countryside investments continue to dominate the figures from January to April with an aggregate Php165.5 billion, or 84.6 percent of the total investment pie with the National Capital Region (NCR), accounting for the remaining 15.6 percent share. Overall, Central Luzon (Region III) continues to be the frontrunner among all regions with Php77.4 billion in investments approvals, up 501 percent from last year’s Php12.9 billion during the four-month frame. Calabazon (Region IVA) is runner-up with Php52.8 billion. NCR is third with Davao Region (Region XI) and Western Visayas (Region VI) completing the top five with Php14.1 billion and Php3.5 billion, respectively.
by admin | May 15, 2018 | National News
The Break-out session was facilitated by DAP to gather inputs and valuable recommendations from the private sector, construction-related association and professional organizations, academe, local government units, and national government agencies’ regional offices.
The DTI and the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) recognize the critical role of the construction industry in the development of the country as this has contributed significantly to economic development, particularly in terms of the number of construction jobs. It also brings huge investments from foreign investors.
With the continuation of the development of the roadmap, CIAP, in collaboration with the Philippine Constructors’ Association, Inc. and other construction-related organizations, is currently conducting a four-part Regional Planning Conference in all parts of archipelago to consult with stakeholders on their suggestions, comments and recommendations in the drafting of the Philippine Construction Industry Roadmap.
The DTI and CIAP tapped the Development Academy of the Philippines to help develop a roadmap which will showcase essential development goals, policies, programs, strategies and targets until 2022 that will allow for the smooth and accelerated growth of the construction industry.
The first planning session for Luzon was held at Xenia Hotel, Clark City, Angeles, Pampanga on April 26, 2018.A total of 71 participants from regions CAR, I, II and III attended the said planning conference.
Second and third conferences were conducted in Cebu City – Visayas session and Davao del Sur – Mindanao session on 08 and 10 May 2018, respectively.
Participants were comprised of top officials from the private sector, construction-related association and professional organizations, academe, local government units, and national government agencies’ regional offices.
The first three break-out sessions were facilitated by DAP to gather inputs and valuable recommendations from the industry. The sectoral workshop on the Construction Industry Roadmap for 2018 – 2022 is divided into categories: Contracting Sector; Consulting Sector; Labor Sector; Material Sector; and Equipment Sector – all of which aimed at specialized development of the construction industry for each sector.
The last leg will be conducted in the National Capital Region (NCR) at the 7th floor, Teatro Arkitekto, UAP National Headquarters, Quezon City, and will take place on May 24, 2018.
To register for this event, contact Nerlie Jean P. Sakay and/or Laura G. Samson at telephone numbers (02)895.6826/895.4424 or email at ciap@dti.gov.ph and ciapdti@yahoo.com.
CIAP is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry that promotes, accelerates and regulates the growth of construction industry in the country.
CIAP Executive Director Ramon L. Abiera (right center), Philippine Overseas/Domestic Construction Board Executive Director Doris Gacho (left center), Facilitators from DAP Director Samuel Rosal and DAP Senior Fellow Reuel Hermoso (far left), and representatives from the construction industry (Contracting, Consulting, Labor, Material; and Equipment) actively participated in the sectoral workshop on the development of the Philippine Construction Industry Roadmap.
by admin | May 15, 2018 | Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has unrolled programs and projects to assist Boracay residents, especially the micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs), following the island’s closure last April.
“We had taken measures and interventions to assess and address the needs of the residents, especially our micro entrepreneurs and local workers, even before the actual closure of the island,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez.
DTI started a series of consultations on 3 April 2018 with provincial and local government units, as well as business counselors, and conducted surveys among local business owners and workers in Boracay.
The respondents identified and requested assistance in online marketing, accessing new markets for their products, and help in relocating their businesses. Various skills training such as cooking, baking, food processing, and handling were also raised. Some respondents also inquired about the government’s loan programs and financial assistance.
On 23-28 April 2018, DTI participated in the Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival by mounting a trade fair at the Provincial Capitol Grounds of Kalibo, which featured products of MSMEs affected by the closure of Boracay. The trade fair gathered 121 exhibitors comprising of 104 MSMEs and 17 Local Government Units One Town, One Product (OTOP). The trade fair generated total sales of Php 15.206 million, which covers Php 1.564 million-worth of cash sales and Php 13.642 million-worth of booked orders.
DTI also brought to Manila the products of eight affected MSMEs from Caticlan and Kalibo. The items were promoted and sold at the Boracay Store of DTI’s Bureau of Domestic Trade and Promotions Showroom. The products featured include banana chips, crispy shrimps, biscocho, cinnamon toast, toasted crunch, ampao, ugoy-ugoy, butter toast, otap, assorted bags, wallets, coin purses, eyeglass cases, pencil holders, cell phone holders, wood and crochet ball bracelets, abaca envelope packaging material, and piña silk shawl.
“We are on the lookout for more ways to assist our MSMEs and those affected by the closure. We are also planning more trade fairs and allocating spaces to promote Boracay products not just in other provinces but also in big cities and tourist destinations. We will be carrying deserving products in our Go Lokal stores and showrooms,” Sec. Lopez said.
Meanwhile, the Department opened a One-Stop Operations Center in the island where other government agencies– including the departments of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Social Works and Welfare (DSWD), Tourism (DOT), as well as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Malay, Aklan Public Employment Service Office (PESO)– are present to address the needs of the residents and local MSMEs.
“There are still a lot of training programs in our calendar that we can conduct in the coming days for the Boracay residents and our MSMEs,” said DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya.
Various skills training were offered to the residents such as screen printing and siomai making. There were also Online Marketing Awareness Seminars and consultations on the government’s Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-Asenso (P3) Financing Program, as well as Trademark Registration.
Boracay products featured during the Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival Trade Fair last April 23-28, 2018.
by admin | May 13, 2018 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) says his study visit to Israel to familiarize himself with drip and other alternative and modern forms of irrigation was “informative”.
The solon is expected to be home tomorrow – in time to vote during the barangay elections.
He says he will meet agriculture and irrigation officials shortly to relay the lessons he learned from his visit, and to brainstorm on how to replicate the Israeli technology for the use of farmers especially those in his district.
Aumentado said he was most impressed with his visit to the Volcani Center in the Israeli capital Tel Aviv where he and fellow Philippine delegates met with Associate Director for International Relations Dr. Shamuel Assouline, Ph.D.
He said they discussed the plan of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to send scholars for Masters in Science (MS) and Doctor in Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs to do their theses and dissertation writings in The Volcani Center. The Center is the Agricultural Research Organization under the Ministry of Agriculture of Israel.
Meanwhile, Aumentado said, after 18 years, he again met his friend and schoolmate in the University of San Carlos (USC) – Randy Arquiza – who is now the First Secretary and Consul General of Israel at the welcome dinner tendered for the Agritech 2018 participants hosted by Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel of Israel.
The solon considers this as another channel for technology transfer – on top of incoming Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz who earlier invited him and his fellow delegates to a lunch meeting at the latter’s official residence in Manila.
The solon said the ambassador had asked how his can country be help the Filipino farmers. He said the ambassador expressed interest in visiting Bohol and see what assistance in terms of agricultural technology inputs they can give to the farmers.
