by admin | Mar 27, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
Construction Industry Undersecretary Atty Ruth B. Castelo, together with DTI Region 8 Director Cynthia Nierras forefronted the unveiling of the 8th CIAP Window in Tacloban City on Monday, March 29 2017. The one stop window facility will cater to licensing, arbitration and training needs of aspiring local contractors in the comforts of their regions. (Pictured from L-R: Philippine Contractors Association Ormoc Chapter Contractors; DTI Region VIII Director Cynthia Nierras; CIAP Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo; PCA Ormoc President Jonathan Bautista; PCA Leyte Chapter Victorio Esperas; PCA Leyte Chapter Contractors)
Tacloban City – With the target to increase competency, the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP) opened a one-stop window facility in Tacloban City last March 20, 2017 to cater to licensing, arbitration and training needs of aspiring local contractors in the regions.
Undersecretary for CIAP Atty. Ruth B. Castelo, together with DTI Region VIII Director Cynthia Nierras fore fronted the opening of the event to enhance the access and delivery of CIAP services in the provinces.
Services that can be availed at the newly opened facility include construction licensing and registration issued by Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB); handling of contract claims, arbitration and mediation for disputes arising from contract concerns administered by Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC); and signing up for various training programs under the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF).
PCA Leyte Chapter President Engr. Victorio Esperas, Jr. and PCA Ormoc Chapter President Jonathan Bautista graced the event by welcoming such initiative and declaring their support for the project. Also present in the event are TESDA Regional Director Cleta Omega, and representatives from Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), National Housing Authority (NHA), Department of the Interior and Local Government Region VIII, National Economic and Development Authority, Social Security System, PhilHealth, Department of Public Works and Highways and Home Development Mutual Fund -Tacloban.
“By bringing our services to the regions, we’re enabling our contractors to save incidental expenses incurred in fare and accommodation. Filing will be easier and ultimately, we can reduce red tape and eradicate fixers.” said Undersecretary Castelo in her keynote speech.
Usec Castelo also added that for the first time in the history of the industry, President Duterte’s administration acknowledges the fact that the construction industry is a vital factor in development along with other industry sectors’ efforts.
“CIAP, the DTI, Regional Offices and stakeholders are working together to provide our valued Filipino contractors with first-rate services in the comforts of their regions.” Usec Castelo ended on a high note.
There are also service windows currently assisting in Regions I- La Union, III-Pampanga, V-Legaspi, VII-Cebu, X-Cagayan de Oro, VII- Davao and Cordillera Administrative Region.
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.
It has five implementing boards namely; the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB), the Philippine Domestic Construction Board (PDCB), the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC), and the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF).
by admin | Mar 24, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
MAKATI – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Kultura, the country’s largest retailer of homegrown products, signed an agreement on 24 March to open Go Lokal! stores in SM Makati.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, together with Industry Promotion Assistant Secretary Rosvi Gaetos and DTI 4-B Regional Director Joel Valera signed the agreement with Kultura represented by its Senior Vice-President for Operations Ivy Frances Yap and Merchandising Head Fatima Uy. This partnership allows Kultura to operate and manage Go Lokal! in order to provide greater market access to micro, small, and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs).
Go Lokal! is a design-led concept store and market platform showcasing modern and indigenous quality products crafted, designed, and created by innovative Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It is mostly found in consumer-frequented locations as a mainstream distribution channel for world-class products while offering value for money to consumers. Go Lokal! is a public-private collaboration and serves as avenue for incubation, marketing, and branding for the best of Philippine MSME products including the next generation One Town One Product (OTOP) offerings.
“Kultura and Go Lokal! are complementary avenues to help our local MSMEs gain retail foothold in the Philippine domestic market. We are pleased to open a Go Lokal! together with Kultura as a testament of our collective thrust of inclusive growth and development of our MSMEs.” said Secretary Ramon Lopez.
The trade chief also said that aside from providing market access for MSME products, the Go Lokal! is a platform for new entrepreneurs to test the marketability of their products without fear of losing out on rental and commercial costs because their Go Lokal! experience is free-of-charge.
Kultura is the leading brand for uniquely Filipino products.
“Kultura has become a showcase of local artistry and craftsmanship and furthers its advocacy by partnering with the DTI for its Go Lokal Project, providing a venue for the distribution and promotion of products sourced from MSMEs,” said Ms. Ivy Yap.
Its Go Lokal pop-up store opens in April and will run throughout the year at the 2nd level of SM Makati.
DTI, SM’S KULTURA SIGN DEAL TO OPERATE GO LOKAL! Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Kultura, the country’s largest retailer of homegrown products, signed an agreement on 24 March in Makati to open Go Lokal! stores in SM Makati. Go Lokal! is a design-led concept store and market platform showcasing modern and indigenous quality products crafted, designed, and created by innovative Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), mostly found in consumer-frequented locations as a mainstream distribution channel for world-class products while offering value for money to consumers. A public-private collaboration, it serves as avenue for incubation, marketing, and branding for the best of Philippine MSME products including the next generation One Town One Product (OTOP) offerings. DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez (R), together with Assistant Secretary Rosvi Gaetos and DTI-4B Regional Director Joel Valera signed the agreement with Kultura represented by its Senior Vice-President for Operations Ivy Frances Yap (left) and Merchandising Head Fatima Uy. The trade chief said that aside from providing market access for MSME products, the Go Lokal! is a platform for new entrepreneurs to test the marketability of their products without fear of losing out on rental and commercial costs because their Go Lokal! experience is free-of-charge.
by admin | Mar 24, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines
March 15, 2017, Tagbilaran City. As the world celebrates Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) 2017, so does the Department of Trade and Industry – Bohol Province.
Bannering the theme “Building a Digital World Consumers Can trust”, DTI Bohol conducted an ORIENTATION SEMINAR ON E-PRESYO AND NO SHORT CHANGING ACT to consumer groups and students from the Bohol Island State University, Holy Name University, University of Bohol and the Bohol Institute of Technology. The activity was held at DTI-Bohol Conference Room last March 15, 2017 from 1:30 up to 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon. The activity aimed to inform and empower consumers and that they be educated of their rights.
The “e-presyo” is an online price monitoring system where the public can readily access price monitoring and comparative price reports through the DTI website or through an application downloadable in smart phones.
On the other hand, RA 10909 or the No Shortchanging Act regulates shortchanging acts by business establishments and defines the rights of the consumers to demand exact change from them. The speakers of the activity were Miguel Abuyabor and Jose D. Hibaya of DTI-Bohol.
by admin | Mar 23, 2017 | DTI Updates, Photo Story
In the effort to solidify and operationalize the Strategic Cooperation Agreement signed during the visit of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to Beijing last October 2016, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with the Bank of China (BOC), the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and the International Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ICCP) organized the Philippines-China SME Cross-border Business Matching on 18 March at the Manila Hotel. DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez (right) and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang (left), who was in the country for a 3-day official visit, graced the event to underscore both governments’ strong support for SME development initiatives and for the renewed commercial engagements between the two countries. The business matching sessions brought together more than 600 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Philippines and China representing industries such as agriculture, fisheries, food processing, furniture, tourism, real estate, construction, construction equipment and building materials, iron and steel, e-commerce and information technology, textiles and garments.
by admin | Mar 23, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, World
Leaders strengthen food security and agricultural cooperation
MYANMAR—Following developments on the presidential visit to Myanmar, the recent meeting (20 March) among Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President Rodrigo Duterte resulted to a substantial discussion on concrete ways to strengthen bilateral economic relations between the two countries, specifically on areas of trade and investment, agro-industry, food security and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“The meeting between President Duterte and Myanmar’s top leaders touched on mutually-beneficial strategies to increase trade and investment, to develop MSMEs and to provide agri-technical assistance,” said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, who was part of the Philippine delegation, alongside Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Vicente Sotto III and other Philippine government officials.
Both countries expressed interest in furthering agricultural technology, which includes capacity-building measures, education cooperation and exchange of best practices through agricultural specialists and experts. Specifically, the meeting explored approaches to advance efficient production of hybrid rice and piña fiber clothing.
“By and large, there was heightened interest to increase investment in Philippine agriculture and food processing. All these initiatives will be under a Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation,” Sec. Lopez added.
Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on food security and agricultural cooperation between the Philippines and Myanmar was signed between the Philippines and Myanmar.
Said MOU aims at making food accessible and affordable, including through promotion of joint development ventures, conduct of research and development (R&D) transfer or technology transfer, sourcing of raw materials for value adding and conduct of training and capacity-building both in technological and managerial levels.
The MOU likewise indicates that Myanmar is welcome to study Philippine agriculture, according to the trade chief.
“Of course, as chair of ASEAN, the Philippines consistently sought Myanmar’s support for the region’s deliverables this year, touching on increasing trade and investment, integrating MSMEs into the global value chain and promoting an innovation-driven economy,” he concluded.
by admin | Mar 23, 2017 | ASEAN agenda, DTI Updates, Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (AWEN) highlighted the impact of encouraging more women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics at the S.T.E.A.M. Ahead in ASEAN: A Forum on Women and Technology held in Pasay City.
“Women with STEM jobs earned 33% more than women in non-STEM jobs. As a result, the gender wage gap is smaller in STEM jobs than in non-STEM jobs,” explained Undersecretary for Industry Promotion Group Nora K. Terrado
According to a study published by the ASEAN Secretariat in 2016, gender inequality remains a challenge in the region, particularly in the areas of education, labor force participation, and trade-oriented activities, among others.
“As technology further allows women to work while they remain to be the light of their homes for their families, the more we need to urge young girls of today to seek the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics,” emphasized DTI Undersecretary Terrado.
Moreover, Undersecretary Terrado mentioned the importance of the arts in enhancing the creative and innovative capacity of women in the said fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
In the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report in 2016, the Philippines led other ASEAN member states in promoting gender equality in economy, education, health, and politics, where the country ranked seventh among 144 countries surveyed. Other ASEAN member states ranked as follows: Lao PDR, 43rd; Singapore, 55th; Vietnam, 65th; Thailand, 71st; Indonesia, 88th; Brunei Darussalam, 103rd; Malaysia, 106th; and Cambodia, 112th.
The said forum convened about 200 various stakeholders in the technology industry, delegates from other ASEAN member states, and the private sector. The sessions and talks focused on the understanding of the roles of and opportunities for women in the innovation economy.
In August this year, the Philippines, through its ASEAN Business and Investment Program (ABIP), will hold the ASEAN Women Business Conference which aims to gather women in the region to discuss topics including women economic participation and trade activities.
Providing more opportunities for women in the ASEAN region is among the integral principles in the building process of the ASEAN community.
Representatives from ASEAN member states strike a pose with DTI Undersecretary for Industry Promotion Group Nora K. Terrado (seated, 4th from left) and ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs’ Network (AWEN) Chair Pacita “Chit” Juan (seated, 3rd from left) during the AWEN meet with the press event held in Pasay.
