by admin | Aug 23, 2017 | DTI Updates, Photo Story
DTI, CARD SEAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE P3 MICRO-FINANCING PROGRAM. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (2nd from L) and Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), Inc. Founder and Former Managing Director Jaime Aristotle Alip (center) officially inked (18 August) partnership for the Pondo para sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) program in Pasig City. DTI and CARD aligned their efforts to provide a community-based microfinancing scheme dedicated for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). With a total of 2,601 offices all over 82 provinces, CARD is the biggest microfinancing institution (MFI) lending to over six million borrowers in the country. The newly formalized partnership between DTI and CARD will provide MSMEs the ease of access to financial support. CARD reported that it already took the initiative to disburse a total of PhP 77 million to 5,000 borrowers nationwide, ahead of the availability of the PhP 1 billion fund for the P3 program. Also in the meeting ceremony were Small Business Corporation President Bartholomew Brillo Reynes (leftmost), CARD Managing Director Flordeliza Sarmiento (2nd from R) and Executive Director Jocelyn Dequito (rightmost).
by admin | Aug 23, 2017 | DTI Updates, National News
PAMPANGA— The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) engaged export and manufacturing stakeholders during the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Consultation Sessions in Clark.
“I urged exporters and manufacturers to fully maximize the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) privilege of the Philippines by exploring opportunities in trade especially with the United States and with the European Union (EU),” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez.
The trade chief shared DTI’s thrust to balance the inflow and outflow of trade as the Philippine export growth is now 16.3 percent while the import is 13 percent. He also acknowledged the efforts of President Rodrigo Duterte in creating new ties with other countries, which opened new export markets to Russia and China. China accounted for the fastest growth rate at 34%. Recent date also showed exports to EU posted strong growth due to greater number of utilization of GSP+ trade privileges where over 6,000 product lines have 0% tariff duty.
Sec. Lopez also shared the continued negotiations of DTI in expanding preferential tariff lines of GSP and GSP+ engaging the US and the EU through dialogues. DTI also extends its efforts in establishing certifications for exporters, such as the recently signed joint Department Order (DO) between DTI and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Said DO ensures importing companies that Philippine exporters availing GSP preferences will uphold and protect the rights of laborers.
Board of Investments (BOI) Head and DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo likewise joined the trade chief in highlighting and discussing the untapped potentials of the GSP privileges of the Philippines. USec. Rodolfo even led a cliniquing session with experts from the DTI-Bureau of International Trade Relations (BITR) and the Bureau of Customs to guide exporters in developing their trade strategies.
The Consultation Sessions on GSP was initiated by Former President and now Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, in an effort to reinvigorate the export industry in the province specifically in travel goods and garments.
Last June, the US government expanded the coverage of the GSP including 23 tariff lines under travel goods sector, creating a potential of additional USD 200-400 million-worth of export revenues, generating 700,000 additional jobs in the country.
Also in the sessions were the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines Executive Director Marites Agoncillio, Clark Development Corporation CEO Noel Mananquil and Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Vince Dizon.
by admin | Aug 20, 2017 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
WHAT is it in election years that pulls down net satisfaction ratings (NSRs) of candidates?
This was what happened to three of Bohol’s incumbent top leaders in 2016 – except for Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) whose NSR increased by six percentage points.
The three top leaders managed to recover in 2017. Gov. Edgardo Chatto and Rep. Rene Ralampagos (Bohol, 1st District) moved up by four percentage points each – from +81 to +85 for the former and from +50 to +54 for the latter. Rep. Arthur Yap (3rd District) fared better: +74 this year from +63 in 2016 or up by 11 percentage points.
But Aumentado topped his six-point increase of +63 in 2015 to +69 in 2016 with a 15-point jump to +84 this year.
While Chatto’s, Relampagos’ and Yap’s yearly ratings from 2014 to 2017 would look like the pulses of the heart in an electrocardiogram. Aumentados’s ratings steadily climbed, with no dips at all.
Aumentado thanks his supporters for the trust and confidence in him.
While he rode on the good name, accomplishments and popularity of his father and relished the sympathy votes when he first entered politics as replacement candidate and won in 2013, he said the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Bohol Poll results already reflect what his constituents feel about how he has gone about his work.
To note, his namesake father, immediate congressional predecessor and former Gov. Erico Boyles Aumentado, passed away on Christmas Day of 2012 – at the height of the campaign.
The solon said the 2017 results inspire him to strive even more to bring to a higher level his services to his constituents – and development to his district.
And, he added, he dedicates this “ace” to his father. He had always looked up to his father as his role model in public service, he explained.
by admin | Aug 19, 2017 | Tech Talk
Have you ever had anmazing idea for a product, an app, or a new system but didn’t know who can help you make it happen? Startup Weekend is a 54-hour program that helps you shape your idea, meet the people you need to move forward, and guide you to the path of making it happen.
The event is in a workshop-competition format where you work with your selected team, go into the field, be mentored, and finally present your idea to a panel of judges at the end of the event.
This is Bohol’s 3rd Startup Weekend (previous events were in 2014 and 2016) but the first in the Phillippines for a Tourism Edition. What makes this year different? Making the event a “Tourism Edition” means it still has the same format, quality, and energy as any Startup Weekend in the world but this time, it focuses more on tourism-centric ideas. That means everything about the event, it’s mentors, judges, participants, and supporters, are curated to uplift ideas for the tourism sector.
Organized by local volunteers Zion Campo, Ruby Jane Alcantara, Jerome Manatad, Bryan Agua, Maryel Cerio, and Paolo Rigotti; it is the goal of the event to empower ideas that better the processes and products of the tourism industry by empowering and enabling products created by our local innovators and visionaries.
The event is in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Provincial Government of Bohol, and the Bohol Investment Promotion Center. It is sponsored by PrintBit, Gwion, and Sea Drake Island Cruises (we are still open for sponsorships!) . The participants at the event will also be mentored by Michael de Vincent Edwards, Aimee Lim, Tina Amper, Ben Skelton, and Peter Watkins. With them are judges Mark Phillips, Vicky Wallace, and many more startup ecosystem supporters.
by admin | Aug 18, 2017 | Headlines, Tech Talk
International financial technology firm Payoneer is supporting the global startup conference Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) for the second straight year as one of this year’s most awaited event’s silver sponsors.
Miguel Warren, Payoneer Philippines Country Manager, said the company is delighted to once more take part in this year’s GOAB which will be held at Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on August 24-25, 2017.
“We are in Geeks on a Beach to talk about the huge potential of e-commerce, freelancing, and outsourcing in the Philippines; and how Payoneer can help these fields with their online and cross-border payments.” said Warren.
This year’s GOAB, which has been done annually since its first staging in Boracay Island in 2013, again promises to bring together some of the biggest names of the tech, design, and startup world from across the world.
“We really like to see the kind of folks gathered together in Palawan for the Geeks on a Beach – startups, techies, and corporates – to see how we can help them facilitate payments on an easy, convenient, and cost-efficient way,” said Warren.
Warren is part of the panel on “Corporate Digital Transformation: Becoming Victorious in a Collision between Businesses and Today’s Challenging Digital Forces” during the second day of the GOAB conference.
His fellow panelists include Robertson Chiang of Dragonpay Corporation, Arup Maity of BlastAsia & Xamun Inc., Joey Limjap of PLDT Innolab, Ramon Escueta of Philippine Chamber of Commerce, and Annabelle Ong of the Puerto Princesa Chamber of Commerce.
This panel is especially envisioned for corporates and businesses wishing to jumpstart their digital innovation by incorporating automated processes and tools, using software to reach out to new customers and expand profits, harnessing the power of social media and digital marketing techniques to increase revenue and boost their branding, and partnering with experienced and trusted digital experts.
PLDT, Smart, Voyager, PayMaya, ePLDT, Smart DevNet, PLDT Enterprise, and PLDT Innolab, Ideaspace and QBO are supporting GOAB as co-presenters while ASPACE Philippines is co-producer. GOAB is held in partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa, Palaweño ICT Association, and DOST-PCIEERD.
GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, powered by Sym.ph, branding by Happy Garaje, and pr by PRWorks. For registration or partnership information or further details, visit www.GeeksOnABeach.com, follow on Twitter/Facebook Geeks On A Beach, or contact hello@GeeksOnABeach.com.
