by admin | Jun 5, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
From L to R: Consul a.h. of Azerbaijan in the Philippines Jose De Venecia III, Counsellor Ruslan Nasibov, Ambassador Tamerlan Garayev DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, Undersecretary Nora Terrado, Director Ann Cabochan, and Director Angelica Cayas.
MAKATI—Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez met with Azerbaijan Ambassador Tamerlan Garayev last 31 May to discuss trade opportunities between Azerbaijan (AZ) and the Philippines (PH).
“Our meeting with Consul Garayev is part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s strategy to seek out non-traditional trading partners. We see a lot complementation between our countries,” said Sec. Lopez.
PH is keen on exporting tropical fruits, like bananas and mangoes, to AZ. Exporting to the Eurasian country is also a boon for PH’s Halal industry, since its population is predominantly Muslim.
“Your country is famous for its mangoes,” said the Azerbaijan Ambassador who cited Jose Rizal as his childhood hero.
Meanwhile, PH sees AZ as an alternative source of fuel since oil and natural gas account for around 90 percent of Azerbaijan’s total exports. The country is also a transport hub for exports since it’s located near Georgia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine.
With only a 10M population and a 6.2% Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Ambassador Garayev said that his country needs more manpower for its tourism and agriculture industries. Since there are only 300 Filipinos in AZ, Sec. Lopez suggested that Filipinos fill these vacancies.
Both countries want to mutually develop education and tourism by having student/ teacher exchange programs and tourism promotions. The two countries will form a Joint Economic Commission to further these talks beginning with possible government to government transactions.
Current trade balance between PH and AZ is in favor of PH due to exports of the following: electronics; electrical and electronic machinery; almonds, fresh or dried, shelled. Azerbaijan is PH’s 172nd trading partner (out of 223), and 153rd export market (out of 216), and 171st import source (out of 198).
by admin | Jun 3, 2018 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) assures the Buenavistanhons that there will be no “service vacuum” in the town in the wake of the killing last Sunday of Buenavista Mayor Ronald Lowell “Sample” Tirol.
Aumentado immediately met now Mayor Dave Duallo and the Sangguniang Bayan after the incident, for a closer look into the plans and direction the local officials, led by the late Tirol, had prepared and took.
It is now, more than ever, that the people of Buenavista need to feel that they have the support they need – even with the murder of their former mayor, the solon said.
He observed that some residents had admitted fearing for their lives when a gunman shot Tirol at close range while the latter was at the town cockpit past 3 pm last Sunday.
But while Aumentado grieves over the death of a “close and intimate friend”, he said no leader is indispensable. Change is inevitable he philosophized, because of term limits and risks like death.
But services will not be disrupted. After all, his is a people-based leadership, not leader-based. The interest of the people is paramount – not that of the leader, he said.
He says he has confidence in Duallo, another “close and intimate friend” who is now picking up the pieces where Tirol had left off. Duallo has the determination to continue his dreams and those of his father and immediate congressional predecessor, former governor and congressman Erico Boyles Aumentado, for the development of Buenavista and the 2nd District in general, he added.
On learning of Tirol’s murder, Aumentado said, “Violence has no place in modern society, especially amidst our campaign for peace in the province.”
“Even during the time of my father, unity always took precedence as a manifestation of our efforts to contain unreasonable fighting. The death of mayor sample tells us of our need for more vigilance,” he emphasized.
“I hold my mayors close to my heart, especially Mayor Sample. I will miss Sample not just as a mayor, but as a good and intimate friend,” he added.
by admin | Jun 1, 2018 | Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry- Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (DTI-CIAP) and the Landbank of the Philippines entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 12 February 2018 to provide fast and efficient alternative payment collection services to CIAP clients such as PCAB contractors.
Since end of April 2018, contractors can directly transact with the Landbank Payment gateway for online payment of monetary obligations to CIAP-PCAB, i.e., payment of fees and charges relative to licensing and registration application, among others.
The Landbank Link.BizPortal is an alternative channel that offers a safer and more convenient means to pay government fees anytime, anywhere. It will allow contractors to pay licensing and registration fees and charges assessed by CIAP-PCAB online or manually; with the following transaction charges:
| Payment Source/Option |
Transaction Fee |
Remarks |
| LANDBANK ATM Cards/Visa Debit Cards |
P10.00* |
|
| BancNet Member-Bank’s ATM/ Debit Cards |
P20.00* |
|
| Globe GCash |
P20.00*
P30.00* |
for transactions up to P999
for transactions P1,000 and above |
*per transaction
As of now, the following of bancnet member banks are being accepted for Landbank E-payment: Asia United Bank; BPI Direct BanKo; CTBC Bank; Citystate Savings Bank; DBP; Enterprise Bank; Entrepreneur Bank; Equicom Savings Bank; MASS SPECC; Malayan Bank; PBCom; Phil Postal Savings Bank; Philtrust Bank; Sterling Bank of Asia; Sun Savings Bank; and Tianong Rural Bank.
For more information, contractors may visit CIAP’s website at www.ciap.dti.gov.ph.
by admin | May 31, 2018 | Headlines
Pack! Pinas final leg in Cavite attended by hundreds of entrepreneurs from the CALABARZON area. Front Row, From L to R: DTI Quezon OIC-Provincial Director Julieta Tadiosa, Commission on Audit Region IV-A auditor Delia Dojillo, DTI Region IV Regional Director Malou Toledo, Export Marketing Bureau Director Senen Perlada, Packaging Institute of the Philippines President Joseph Jocson, DTI Assistant Secretary Demphna Du Naga, Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, Cavite Provincial Director Noly Guevara, Carmona Mayor Dahlia Loyola, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Undersecretary Nora Terrado, Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona, San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation’s Virginia Robledo, DTI Trade Service Officer Ben Uy; Oryspa founder Sherill Quintana, and Delfa’s Food Products owner Isabel Punzalan.
CAVITE — Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez emphasized the importance of well-designed product packaging to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the final leg of the Pack! Pinas roadshow last 29 May in Cavite.
“As part of the mandate given by President Rodrigo Duterte to help MSMEs, DTI is applying a 360-degree approach in MSME development,” said Secretary Lopez. “Part of this is levelling up the product packaging, for it to standout in the market place. The packaging serves also as the advertising at the point of sale. MSMEs are not usually exposed to the latest trend, designs, and on how best to present and preserve product quality and they are often hampered by the required Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) that limits their capability to improve their packaging, and these are the barriers being solved in these fora and expo”, Lopez said.
Cavite is the final stop of the packaging roadshow. The Visayas leg was held in Tacloban last 3 – 4 May and was attended by 508 participants, 317 of them MSMEs. Meanwhile, the Mindanao leg in Cagayan de Oro City was attended by 720 participants, 501 of which were MSMEs.
Though this round of the roadshow draws to a close, Sec. Lopez assured MSMEs that the roadshow will roll out in other regions soon.
With the aim of bringing packaging experts and suppliers closer to MSMEs throughout the Philippines, visitors during the two-day event in Cavite were treated to business matching sessions; seminars on packaging, branding, and design; and workshops and interactive training sessions.
Packaging suppliers who participated also waived their required minimum order quantity during the two-day exhibit to cater to MSMEs.
DTI also invited Oryspa founder Sherill Quintana and Delfa’s Food Products owner Isabel Punzalan to share how branding propelled their business to international success.
Quintana said that after 11 years, they were able to achieve their successes within three years because they decided to build a brand. Meanwhile, Punzalan stressed the need to gain international certifications like ISO, Halal, FDA, and others if they want to make their products world-class.
DTI is already helping select MSMEs improve their packaging through programs like Go Lokal! and One Town One Product (OTOP) Philippines, which guides entrepreneurs to improve their products and gives them market access through OTOP and Go Lokal! stores.
Pack! Pinas is a broader approach to reach hundreds of MSMEs in the different regions of the country.
by admin | May 29, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry expressed optimism that the newly-enacted Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 will make doing business in our country easier as it promotes efficient government.
“Under the EODB/Efficient Government Act, businesses can expect streamlined processes, reduced processing times from all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs). Government agencies shall be made to comply with the prescribed processing time: three (3) working days for simple transactions, seven (7) working days for complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions.” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said.
The EODB-EGSDA Act, which amended the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, requires all local government units to streamline procedures for the issuance of business permits, clearance and other type of authorizations by implementing unified business application form. LGUs are mandated to setup Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) to facilitate business permits application. The law also provides that barangay clearances and permits must be issued at the city or municipality to speed up transactions.
Apart from streamlining, the law also provides for the creation of a Central Business Portal that will receive and capture application data on business-related transactions, while Philippine Business Databank shall provide LGUs and national government agencies access to information to verify validity and existence of businesses. With this, businesses are not required to submit the same documentary requirement previously submitted.
The DTI Secretary, who now chairs the Ease of Doing Business and Anti Red Tape Advisory Council (EODB/ARTAC) called RA 11032 a landmark legislation that will have a direct impact on all citizens and business sector.
“We realized that for the EODB reforms to be fully implemented and integrated, a whole-of-government approach was necessary. Thus in full support of the President’s vision, Congress enacted a law that will make doing business in the Philippines easier and more importantly, create a more efficient government.” Lopez added.
The EODB-EGSDA law will be implemented by the Anti-Red Tape Authority, an agency under the Office of the President that will monitor compliance of agencies, and implement and oversee national policy on anti-red tape and ease of doing business. The seven-member Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council will be composed of the Secretaries of DILG, DICT, and DOF, and two members from the private sector. The EODB/ARTAC will serve as the policy and advisory body of ARTA, to be chaired by DTI Secretary, and the Director General of the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) as Vice Chair.
by admin | May 25, 2018 | Announcements, E-news Bulletin, Headlines
By Jun Aguirre -Friday, May 25, 20180
KALIBO, Aklan – A business group urged the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and other concerned agencies to look into the cancellation of flights at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).
Several aircrafts were no longer flying out to and from Manila and Cebu because of the six-month closure of Boracay Island, according to Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Aklan secretary Guidon Dela Cruz.
Some airline companies doubled ticket prices for flights bound for KIA or limited the number of flights, Dela Cruz claimed.
“Because of this, businessmen, students and balikbayans had to travel to nearby airports, such as the Caticlan Airport and the Roxas Airport, to go to Manila,” he said. “Direct flights to Cebu have also been cancelled.”
Dela Cruz stressed that the reduction of commercial flights at KIA “created economic difficulties for passengers and cargo traffic.”
The PCCI-Aklan also urged airline companies to provide additional Manila-Kalibo flights and restore the Kalibo-Cebu route even on a limited schedule.
“The reduction of plane flights does not help promote local tourism, trade and commerce, which were supposed to be [growing] due to the expansion of e-commerce,” which allows for “more movement of people and goods across our islands,” Dela Cruz said./PN
Read more: https://www.panaynews.net/review-flight-cancellations-in-kalibo-intl-airport/
