by admin | Mar 11, 2018 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
THE Congress Bicameral Conference Committee has approved the Balik Scientist Act – the measure designed to attract Filipino scientists now working abroad to return home.
Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) who chairs the House Committee on Science and Technology says the move aims to invite home scientists, engineers and innovators either for short term stays to lead researches and experiments, or to come home for good for the same purpose.
Aumentado expressed gratitude to Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino, his counterpart in the Senate, for pushing the same legislation “to bring back Filipino scientists, engineers, and technology entrepreneurs to work in various fields, including heath, food and agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT), and even alternative energy.”
The act institutionalizes the program first established in 1975. Aumentado said his move came after observing that the program “has been a tremendous success in accelerating the flow of strategically important strategies that are vital to national development and progress.
The solon said among others, the scientist will be given free round trip or one way air fare from his country of origin, reimbursement of expenses for excess baggage allowance, tax-exempt daily allowance, exemption from the licensing permit from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), tax and duties exemption for donated equipment.
Those staying for good will also have relocation allowance, exemption from tax of his monthly allowance, housing arrangements.
IN THE SENATE. Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña (center) is flanked by Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino (left) and Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, principal authors of the Senate and House versions, respectively, of the Balik Scientist Act. With them are sponsors Senators Nancy Binay and Edward Maceda (standing 2nd and 4th from left) and Representatives, from left, Salvador Belaro Jr., Arlene Arcillas, Divina Grace Yu and Yul Nieto. Not in picture is Rep. Mariano Michael Velarde Jr. Photo: Aris Aumentado’s Facebook Account
by admin | Mar 9, 2018 | Headlines, Tech Talk
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pushing for automated government frontline services through mobile applications and the use of electronic payment scheme to enhance the ease of doing business in the country.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, chair of Inter-agency Ease of Doing Business Task Force, said that the ultimate goal of all the reforms is to make all frontline services online literally at your fingertips, providing a convenient and efficient means for public to transact with the government.
Lopez cited the Quezon City (QC) government’s Online Business Registration, where applicants can file for business permits online. This allows businesses to easily register their firms in the comforts of their home/businesses.
During the joint visit of the DTI, DILG and NCC, the QC government reported on the ePayment facility for business taxes and real property taxes. Payment of these charges can be made thru Landbank, Bancnet, or GCash. These reforms significantly improved doing business in Quezon City.
“As we continue to cut red tape and streamline procedures, we are now moving towards automation of government transactions. In the age of smartphones, we intend to harness its potential to ease of doing business. With the support of DICT, we are looking at developing a fully electronic registration process using smartphone apps.” Lopez said
Secretary Lopez also stated that with the enactment of the proposed Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, nationwide automation will soon become a reality. The proposed law mandates a central business portal that will link the systems of national government agencies and local government units, as well as the establishment of a Philippine Business Registry databank. This portal will serve as a central system to receive applications and capture application data involving business-related transactions.
“We must make doing business easier. A complicated business registration process is a huge turn off particularly to young entrepreneurs or millennials who would want to start their business. Our current business registration practices are not aligned with the preferences of this demographic who are totally dependent on their mobile devices,” Lopez said
by admin | Mar 8, 2018 | DTI Updates, Photo Story
Stronger PH-Russia relations. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) officials recently met with delegates from Russia to discuss trade and investment cooperation as the Philippines looks to strengthen economic relations, and increasing bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. The meeting also discussed Russia’s pitch for hosting the 2025 World Expo, a global event which aims to educate the public, sharing innovation, promoting progress and fostering cooperation. The 2025 World Expo is organized by a host country that invites other countries, companies, international organizations, private sector, civil society, and public to participate. Three countries are candidates to host World Expo 2025: Japan (in Osaka), the Russian Federation (in Ekaterinburg), and Azerbaijan (in Baku). At the PH-Russia meeting were (from L-R) DTI-Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) Director Senen Perlada, Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev, Russia World Expo 2025 Bid Committee Director General Svetlana Sagaydak, DTI-Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, Philippine Embassy – Moscow Commercial Counsellor Kristine Umali, DTI-EMB Asst. Director Agnes Legaspi, and Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Officer-in-Charge for Special Project Division Eva Mariquina.
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by admin | Mar 8, 2018 | National News
New York, USA – The Department of Trade and Industry with its Trade and Investments Promotion Group led a business forum in New York focusing on topnotch healthcare information management services being offered by world-class Philippine companies.
The 2018 Healthcare Information Management Services (HIMS) Business Forum was held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York on 26 February 2018. DTI Trade and Investments Promotion Group Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado led the Philippine delegation composed of seven (7) officials from business process outsourcing (BPO) companies and two industry associations.
The Philippine Trade and Investment Center in New York (PTIC New York) organized the said forum in cooperation with Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP). New York was the first destination of the roadshow, which ended in Las Vegas where the Philippine business delegation participated in the annual exhibition organized by American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Undersecretary Terrado delivered a keynote speech highlighting the country’s 10-point socio-economic agenda underpinning DTI’s support for the development and promotion of IT-BPO clusters in selected new wave cities.
Terrado also emphasized the inclusion of capacity-building infrastructure in the countryside, and the re-calibration of the DTI’s support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and technology-driven start-ups.
The forum served as a platform for DTI to highlight the Philippines’ strong GDP growth, the expanding middle class and the record levels of private and government consumption as barometers of a stable and sustainable investment landscape for partners and investors from the United States.
Meanwhile, representatives from HIMAP presented the developments in the industry, highlighting the Philippine’s value proposition as among the top destination for healthcare and information management services. DTI’s Special Trade Representative, Mr. Nicanor Bautista of the PTIC New York moderated the forum’s open discussion.
by admin | Mar 8, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) intensifies its programs that support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in accessing export markets through its Regional Interactive Platform for the Philippine Exporters (RIPPLES) Plus Program.
For full year 2017, RIPPLES Plus assisted a total of 408 exporters and implemented 33 marketing and promotional activities geared toward strengthening Philippine exporters’ capacities in support to increasing economic revenues for the country.
Through RIPPLES Plus, Philippine exporters are being assisted to penetrate markets by updating them on latest trends and market requirements.
“For the track 2 project, the conduct of the product development included the translation of the text of the chichacorn labels in Arabic language. This will open new export markets of my chichacorn products specifically in the Middle East,” said Clemencia Padre, a program participant from Region 1.
For 2018, the program aims to undertake targeted and more aggressive export promotion for priority industries, such as food and agri-marine, services, and industrial sectors.
“Our participation to the various trade and exhibitions and fairs allowed our cooperative to open new markets and new opportunities. Orders have increased from Manila- and Cebu-based exporters and converters. We generated a total of Php 6.40 million for 2016 and Php5.06 million for 2017 through RIPPLES Plus,” said Ma. Trina V. Sumayang, General Manager of of Tubigon Loomweavers Multipurpose Cooperative.
RIPPLES Plus is a focused program developed and being implemented by DTI-EMB that aims to expand the supply base of internationally competitive Philippine export products and services and to provide intensified, purposive and practical assistance geared toward the internationalization of Philippine MSMEs and expand the global export-market opportunities for large corporations.
RIPPLES Plus develops both products and exporters through four modes of assistance: training and capacity building; marketing and promotion; support for innovation through product development and design; access to markets through mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) and certifications.
In 2017, the country’s merchandise export recorded a 9.5% increase compared to 2016. Total exported goods amounted to $62.87 billion with significant growth in non-electronic products, a reflection of the country’s efforts to diversify its export products.
