by admin | Apr 28, 2018 | Headlines
TAGBILARAN CITY, April 28 (PIA)—Construction at the New Bohol Airport for Sustainable Environment Project (Panglao Airport) may be suffering some 8.40 % variance from its planned accomplishment as of March 31, 2018, but Department of Transportation (DOTr) authorities said they can still make it in time for the August 2018 opening.
A report furnished by the DOTr to Bohol authorities showed that by March 31, DOTr should have seen an 88.61% accomplishment, but the contractors Chiyoda Mitsubishi Joint Ventures accomplished 81.21%, resulting to the slight variance.
But DOTr Panglao Airport Project manager Engr. Edgardo Mangalili said has seen worse.
At the beginning of the 2012 proposed P7, 440, 290, 000.00 project, there was so much negative slippage that contractors had to get their workers on overtime shifts to be able to beat the monthly timelines, Mangalili said.
The new airport project manager told Manila-based media during a recent updating and project presentation inside the project management office conference hall, new Panglao airport complex that the catch-up and crashed program of the project to keep up with the revised implementation schedule significantly cut the slippage and kept it up to date.
He added that the contractors are still willing to speed up the project despite an extended deadline for completion.
From the 2012 proposed plan, a change in scope of the initial project has significantly moved schedules.
From the initial runway length of two kilometres, a revised plan now included an additional 500 meters of runway, and an expanded Passenger Terminal Building that would now be a two-story building almost doubling up the floor space.
The plan revision, which the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) approved in September of 2016, now entails a bigger budget of P7, 773,000.
The project also stretches from 50.50 man-months starting from May 5, 2014 to 62.90 months, according to DOTr and its consultants: Japan Airport Consultants.
Originally set for completion by December 21, 2017, the revision moves the completion to June 2, 2018.
By March 31, 2018, Engr. Mangalili, in fact said that the contractors accomplished ahead in its civil works timeline, 2.9% more as its planned accomplishment for the period was pegged at 32.74.
To date, contractors have completed the 2.5 kilometer runway, two taxiways and the airport apron, Engr. Mangalili showed photos to prove his point.
From its building works, contractors have accomplished 28.50% even as they have accomplished the putting up of the 2nd layer of roofing for the Passenger Terminal Building as of now, the project engineer said.
The administration building and the control tower are on scheduled timelines and its Fire Rescue and Maintenance Building is also up.
For its utility works, the airport contractors have completed 5.35%, with a 1.5% setback from its planned accomplishment for the period.
The contractors have put up the power house, sewage treatment plant and its related structure as well as its material recovery facility.
And as the new airport would be a huge upgrade from the sunrise to sunset operations in Tagbilaran, Panglao airport would have air navigation and aeronautical ground lighting facilities, which are now installed and awaiting final testing, according to the project manager.
Up in place are the Very High Frequency Omni Directional Range Detection, Distance Measuring Equipment and counterpoise structures as well as its aeronautical ground lighting facilities.
Overall, DOTr thinks if the airport starts its operations by August 2018, the June 2 completion timetable affords them more than ample time to embellish the airport to make the grand inaugural flight on schedule. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Apr 25, 2018 | Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will assist affected workers and displaced micro, small and medium entrepreneurs to lessen the impact of the the six-month closure order of Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said that the agency has identified initiatives to cushion the impact to workers and entrepreneurs of the island’s shutdown on April 26.
“We recognize the importance of Boracay Island to our local entrepreneurs there. However, we would also like to ensure that the island maintain its pristine condition, which is why we have identified programs that will help local entrepreneurs,” Maglaya said.
DTI, a member of the Working Group on employment and livelihood and the lead agency in the establishment of the Operations Center/ One-Stop Shop in Boracay Island, has identified activities that may provide workers alternative income and other alternative markets for the MSMEs.
While the island is closed to tourists, MSMEs selling to Boracay will be given the chance to continue their businesses as DTI identifies alternative market outlets in nearby resorts and Pasalubong Centers.
Aside from these, the DTI will launch the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay and come up with trainings, coaching and mentoring on business opportunities, online marketing seminar, and micro loans through the Pondo para sa Pagbagago at Pag-asenso (P3), among others.
by admin | Apr 24, 2018 | National News
With the success of the Kapatid Mentor ME Program in 2017, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) looks to capitalize on its accomplishment and pick up where it left off as the program which is intended to assist micro and small enterprises in scaling up their businesses will continue for year 2018, aiming to reach more entrepreneurs in the countryside.
While reaching out to MSMEs, the Kapatid Mentor ME Program is also expected to contribute to the administration’s Trabaho, Negosyo Agenda—by producing more entrepreneurs, resulting to jobs for Filipinos.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Kapatid Mentor ME Program has sparked an entrepreneurial revolution in the countryside by empowering micro and small enterprises that will benefit the community through job creation.
“The Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) Program is driving the entrepreneurial revolution in the Philippines. More importantly, this revolution is happening in the countryside,” said Lopez.
“With the goal of helping entrepreneurs attain the mindset and business know-how, they need to sustain and scale-up their businesses. This program empowers MSME business owners—particularly in the provinces—and helps them create jobs that benefit the whole community.”
Philippine MSMEs account for 99.5% of the total number of establishments and employ 62.8% of the country’s workforce, contributing substantially to the country’s manufacturing output and total employment, making them critical engines of economic growth and development.
Kicking off in 2016, the Kapatid Mentor ME Program aims to assist MSMEs in scaling up and sustain their businesses through weekly coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on different functional areas of entrepreneurship. The program is jointly undertaken by DTI and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship – Go Negosyo.
In 2017, DTI assisted 24,078 individuals, including 17,144 MSMEs and graduated 1,780 Micro Entrepreneurs throughout the country. The program also was able to certify 426 mentors, who will handle the modules and the mentoring aspects.
Sec. Lopez also highlighted the importance of the Department’s partnership with PCE-Go Negosyo and local government units (LGUs) throughout the country.
“To sustain this growth, continued collaboration between DTI, PCE, and local government units is essential. Our goal now is to develop competitive MSMEs and create a culture that recognizes their contribution to the economic growth of the country,” he said.
The 2018 Kapatid Mentor ME sessions kicked off last February 13, 2018 in Ifugao and will run in 16 regions throughout the country until September 2018.
The 11-week program will have weekly modules such as Marketing, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Operations Management, Business Law, Taxation, among others. On the 11th week, the mentee is required to present his/her business improvement plan, incorporating the learnings from the lectures and mentoring sessions.
To qualify as a mentee, the entrepreneur should be a business owner or manager of a micro/small enterprise operating for at least one year.
by admin | Apr 24, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
MARIKINA – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez led the inauguration of the expanded Shared Service Facility (SSF) on high value custom-made footwear which features advanced technology and newly acquired state-of-the-art machineries in preparing customized footwear molds that would increase productivity of shoemakers.
“We need to equip our micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs with modern machineries that would increase productivity with lesser cost in order to revive the footwear industry. Marikina has always been known for their shoes. And if we come together, government, private sector, and Filipino shoemakers with their unique craftsmanship, we can easily sell our products here and abroad,” said Sec. Lopez.
The trade chief also encouraged government personnel to support and choose local footwear. Likewise, DTI will push for policies and programs to have government agencies purchase locally-made shoes as well as bags, example for public school children.
Meanwhile, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced the city’s project to build a mall-type facility to feature all Filipino MSME products, specifically Marikina-made footwear.
DTI welcomed the proposed project and pledged its support to the local government through the Go Lokal! concept store.
“Having this kind of project will bring our efforts in marketing the products of our MSMEs to a higher level. From a pop up store to a mall of all-local and quality products will definitely help us strengthen the sector,” the trade chief said.
According to Sec. Lopez, the government will continue to support the footwear industry in a holistic manner through its 7Ms (Mindset change, Mastery, Mentoring, Market, Money, Machine, and Models) strategy.
“With our collective effort, we can make Marikina-made footwear known not just here in the Philippines. We will make our footwear compete globally,” said Sec. Lopez.
Aside from the expanded SSF, DTI also inaugurated the newly renovated and improved Philippine Footwear Academy building, which serves as a shoemaking skills training facility in Marikina.
Also present during the inauguration were Philippine Footwear Federation Inc (PFFI) President Lolito Lopez, PFFI Secretary General Roger Py, Philippine Chamber of Commerce Marikina President Jeanelle Lee, and DTI Assistant Secretaries Blesila Lantayona, Ameenah Fajardo, and Demphna Du-Naga
by admin | Apr 23, 2018 | Headlines, Photo Story
P3 LOANS TO BE ACCESSED THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORM. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is partnering with FINTQnologies Corp. (FINTQ) through Lendr to provide a digital lending platform where micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can avail of the Pondo para sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) program. “President Rodrigo Duterte always seeks for ways to provide service and assistance to our micro entrepreneurs in the easiest and most accessible way as possible. That’s why DTI tied up with FINTQ to allow MSMEs to access P3 funds through the online platform Lendr,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez. The government, through DTI’s attached agency Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), allocated Php 1 billion per year to fund the P3 program, which aims to assist MSMEs to grow their businesses through low-interest loans. Meanwhile, FINTQ will be conducting a financial literacy caravans in three pilot areas of P3 program, namely: Tacloban, Occidental Mindoro, and Sarangani. The caravan will also offer onsite loan application assistance for MSMEs. In the photo are (L to R) SBCorp President Ma. Luna Cacanando, DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, Sec. Lopez, P3 loan beneficiaries Edgardo Waniwan, Angelyn Avila, and Judith Waniwan, Voyager Innovation President and CEO Orlando Vea, FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva
