by admin | Apr 22, 2018 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
BOHOL stands to get more of its arable land in the 2nd District irrigated.
This after Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado is set to visit Israel that has succeeded in turning some of its desert lands into farms through unconventional irrigation methods.
The Philippines may have river systems that can be harnessed to irrigate erstwhile rain-fed rice fields. But, Aumentado pointed out, there are still lands that have remained idle to date because these are far from the irrigation canals, or have higher elevation than the canals – or both.
As such, the solon vowed to look into Israel’s agricultural technology in the hopes of expanding the irrigated lands in the province, initially in his district. He estimates the irrigation-hungry lands in Bohol at still 30 hectares.
With this technology, Aumentado expressed confidence that the income of the farmers will definitely increase.
The solon had grabbed the opportunity when the Israeli government invited him and other congressmen to attend the 2018 AgriTech exposition to be held in that country. Historically, the exposition attracts delegates from all over the world.
To help arrange his itinerary to include site visits to demonstration farms, Aumentado is set to meet tomorrow with the Israeli ambassador in the latter’s Philippine residence.
Because the coffee meeting will be at his residence, the solon said he expects the meet up to be less formal and therefore more productive, he said.
by admin | Apr 19, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Asteria Caberte warns unscrupulous business establishments that are taking advantage of credit card holders by imposing surcharges.
Caberte revealed the illicit tactics of some business establishments that are imposing additional charges on items purchased through credit cards of unsuspecting buyers who are not aware that these surcharges are illegal.
“All retailers who accept credit cards for payment should not require the cardholders to pay additional charge over and above the price tag on the consumer goods and services,” Caberte said.
Under Article 81, or the “Price Tag Requirement,” of Republic Act 7394, otherwise known as “Consumer Act of the Philippines,” goods and services must have only an appropriate price tag or label. It must not be sold at a higher price that what is stated and without discrimination to all buyers.
Caberte also advised consumers who were tricked into paying the surcharges to ask for a refund and report the incident to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“Retailers should not pass surcharges to consumers for they are already paying annual membership fee for using credit cards,” Caberte added. “ In ensuring consumers’ rights, she revealed that the DTI is regularly monitoring business establishments.”
Caberte warned violators that DTI is regularly monitoring business establishments to ensure that consumer rights are upheld.
Caberte underscored that unscrupulous retailers will be fined depending on the gravity, and/or revocation of their business permit and license.
For complaints and questions, one may call or visit the Consumer Protection Division at the following DTI’ provincial offices: BOHOL PROVINCIAL OFFICE, 2F FCB Bldg., CPG Ave., Tagbilaran City. Tel. # (63) 038-501-8260; CEBU PROVINCIAL OFFICE, DTI Building, Osmena Boulevard, corner Lapulapu Street, Cebu City, Tel. # (63)(032) 255-6971 / 255-3926 . (63)(032) 412-1944 / 412-1945;SIQUIJOR PROVINCIAL OFFICE. CF Bldg., Legaspi St., Siquijor, Siquijor, Tel. # (63)035-480-9065 ; NEGROS ORIENTAL PROVINCIAL OFFICE, 2F Uymatiao Bldg., San Jose Street. Dumaguete City Tel. # (63)(035) 422-2764.
by admin | Apr 18, 2018 | Headlines
Philippine Contractor’s Accreditation Board (PCAB) of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippine (CIAP), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has come up with an innovative and efficient way to serve its stakeholders in the Visayas by decentralizing the evaluation of Contractor’s License through the CIAP Window in Cebu effective this year 2018.
CIAP’s Window Cebu services include pre-screening and evaluation of application for a contractor’s license; acceptance of complaints or cases, staff logistics, coordination support during hearings and orientation on mediation for small claims and information dissemination and promotion, acceptance of new and renewal application prior to registration/ authorization.
According to DTI 7 Regional Director Asteria Caberte, decentralization of the evaluation process aims to provide more access and faster transaction of the contractors from region 7 to easily avail of the service. Through this facility the contractors from different provinces of Central Visayas need not travel to Manila to Transact business, thus, saving time and reducing cost of doing business.
Dir. Caberte underscored that for the months of January – March, 2018, 215 applications were processed and evaluated or a 51% increase from the same period last year. “Note that this year the CIAP office has managed to shorten processing time, from 3 months to 1 month,” Caberte added.
Meanwhile, the construction industry in Central Visayas is expected to grow further in the next four years as the Philippine industry is driven largely by the residential and the infrastructure markets.
The infrastructure market is said to be the fastest-growing sector in the construction industry, with growth rate driven by Philippine government plans to develop high-speed rail links, highways and seaports through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
To boost construction activities further, Caberte said, the Department of Trade and Industry – Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (DTI-CIAP) lead the evaluation of the country’s construction roadmap during the 2nd Philippine Construction Congress at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) held last year.
In addition, the Bohol Contractors and Contractors Association of Negros presented their plan to affiliate with the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF), one of the implementing boards of CIAP, in order to properly train the construction manpower covered in their provinces.
The Philippine Construction Congress united the country’s key industry players and laid out the conceptual framework in drafting the Philippines’ Construction Industry Roadmap for 2017-2022, anchored on the infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build. Build. Build” program.
Aside from creating a road map, the Philippine Construction Congress streamlined public and private efforts to come up with lucrative public-private partnerships and augment the government’s vision of the Build, Build, Build program to increase the productive capacity of the economy, create jobs, increase incomes and strengthen the investment climate leading to sustained inclusive growth.
Infrastructure is among the top priorities of the current administration. In his 10-point Socioeconomic Agenda, President Duterte envisioned the reduction of poverty from 21.6 percent in 2015 to between 13 percent and 15 percent by 2022.
Among the reforms that will drive this agenda is the acceleration of infrastructure and the development of industries that will yield robust growth across the archipelago, create jobs and uplift the lives of Filipinos.
In 2016, the share of the construction industry to total employment of the country stood at 8.2 percent as indicated in the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data. In Central Visayas the share of construction industry to total employment is 7.3 percent.
PSA data also confirms that the Philippine construction industry expanded its work force by 675,000 last year—equivalent to the combined employment generated from 2011 to 2015—to end at 3.3 million in 2016. The industry is expected to employ 5.8 million workers by 2022.
Data from the PSA showed major drivers of the country’s economic growth in 2016 were the accelerated performances of the industry and service sectors. PSA data indicated the growth in the industry sector was due to the robust performance of the construction industry.
by admin | Apr 18, 2018 | DTI Updates, Headlines
In line with the celebration of Design Week Philippines, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Design Center of the Philippines (DTI-Design Center) partners with key organizations and events all over the Metro Manila in its aim to gather the creative community and support the advancement of the creative services sector of the country.
With the tagline “Design Tribes,” Design Week Philippines kicked off last 14 April 2018 in Intramuros and will run until 22 April 2018.
“Building connections and communities has always been at the core of Design Week Philippines,” said DTI Design Center Executive Director Rhea O. Matute. “This is why we create a movement by engaging partners and partner events to show the diverse ways of celebrating Design Week Philippines, and eventually make design and creativity a way of life in the Philippines,” she added.
Design Center has established collaboration with 41 partners, 32 events in 16 venues all over the Metro Manila. Matute emphasized that partnerships help amplify and promote new destinations and hubs that can play significant roles in enabling communities, especially the youth.
“We are looking at the youth, the millennials and the Gen Z, as the next generation of minds that will create positive and progressive disruptions in society. What they do, can do, and will do will definitely shape and influence lifestyles, products, services, and industries in the coming years. What Design Week and the Department of Trade and Industry, through its Design Center, can do for them is to highlight new engagement platforms, nurture a network of creative professionals, and host events where they can gather, learn from one another, and build on each other’s ideas,” Matute shares.
Design Week Philippines promises a nine-day of borderless creative festivity with series of design talks, design tours, hands-on workshops, exhibitions, art booths, live performances, outdoor film showing, weekend market and a lot more that will ensure participants’ and visitors’ engagement in design and creativity.
INTRAMUROS: Design Week Inside the Walled City
In previous editions, Design Week Philippines launched the historical Walled City of Intramuros as a creative environment, and has since supported the Intramuros Administration in its initiatives to revive it. Design Week also taps the district as a home for its event components such as Design Talks, Design Tours and Creative Workshops to revitalize the historical and cultural assets of the environment and inject it with creative endeavors to encourage development of new ideas.
Creative Workshops
For this edition, Design Week is working with the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in mounting several hands-on creative workshops and art booths for everyone in Plaza Moriones in Intramuros, Manila.
Scheduled on 21 April 2018, workshops for the following are open for everyone: Poetry Making, Smartphone Film Making, Kite Making and Kite Flying Activity, and Face Painting. Meanwhile, on the 22nd April, a Travel Journaling workshop with Abbey Sy is scheduled.
Design Tours
This edition’s Design Tours spotlight history and iconic landmarks with the iMake History Fortress Architecture exhibit in Fort Santiago, and the Destileria Limtuaco beside the LPU Gymnasium as its destination stops.
The iMake History exhibit features scale models of iconic landmarks within the walls of Intramuros made with Legos. Formerly accessible only to the Limtuaco family’s friends and guests, Destileria Limtuaco, the oldest distillery in the Philippines, opens it museum to the public.
For those who want honest conversations on creative journeys, this edition’s Design Talks is for you! With the theme “Design to Thrive,” a morning session of lightning talks, panel discussions and Q&A will tackle personal and organizational stories of failures turned into triumphs and accomplishments that are now part of a growing creative economy. Guest speakers are Jodinand Aguillon, Executive Director of Pineapple Lab; Leonora Cabili, founder of Filip+Inna; Dan Matutina, founder of Plus63 Design Co.; and Ar. Arts Serrano, founder of One Zero Design Co. The conversations aim to inspire professionals and aspirants from the sphere of business, design, art, and other industries to enhance their way of thinking towards to a positive change.
Extramuros: Design Week beyond the Walls
Supported by a powerhouse lineup of agencies, brands, companies, and collectives, Design Week extends its creative festivity outside of Intramuros to Metro Manila’s thriving creative hubs, with partner events happening in Makati, Pasay, BGC, Pasig, Muntinlupa, and Quezon City.
It partners with Manila FAME happening at the World Trade Center from 19-21 April; Nesta’s Creative Enterprise Programme with British Council of the Philippines on 17-19 April; Hollowblock Presents: OTTOMONDI with Pineapple Lab, 14 April 2018, Pineapple Lab; Glug Creative Socials with ASpace on 18 April 2018; EUREKA SERIES: POBLACION RE-IMAGINED on 19 April 2018 with Acceler8 Coworking; and South Arts Festival on 22 April 2018.
Design Week also partnered with 98B COLLABoratory, situated in Escolta, a neighboring district of Intramuros, for its Future Market. With its goal of putting soul and spirit into commerce, the Future Market caters to creative individuals and artists to sustain their art practice and to experimenting startups and entrepreneurs to enable them to practice and transition towards a more stable and sustainable commercial setting.
For the complete list of partner events and details on Design Week, follow DTI – Design Center of the Philippines’ Facebook page.
by admin | Apr 18, 2018 | Headlines, National News
While the Philippines consumes as much coffee as countries such as the United States, Brazil, Japan, and the European Union, the country is also looking to be one of the top producers of top-grade coffee around the world.
To make this a reality, President Rodrigo Duterte last March 7, 2017 signed the Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap 2017-2022 to boost the country’s domestic coffee output in the next five years—a huge lift for coffee farmers, producers, and traders.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the trade department is working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ensure that the Philippine Coffee industry would be at par with the world’s top producers such as Brazil, Vietnam, Columbia, Indonesia, and Honduras.
“We have to have a patriotic drive to encourage demand for Philippine coffee. We are encouraging local producers to expand coffee production to create the demand,” said Sec. Lopez.
The Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap 2017-2022 will guarantee a coffee industry that is cost-competitive, aligned with global quality standards, reliable and environment-friendly, which will provide sustainable benefits to farmers, processors, traders, and exporters, and attain food security and poverty alleviation.
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world and is grown in 50 countries along the equatorial zone called “The Bean Belt,” which is located between latitudes 25 degrees north and 30 degrees south. Interestingly, the Philippines lies within the Bean Belt.
Due to this advantageous location and favorable, although tropical, climate, the country produces four varities of coffee including Robusta, Arabica, Excelsa, and Liberica.
According to Lopez, the current coffee output of the Philippines is pegged at 37,000 tons a year but with the Philippine Coffee Roadmap, the country is expected to raise the coffee production to 214,626 metric tons by 2022. This will bring the country’s coffee self-sufficiency level to 161% from the current 41.60%.
The Philippine Coffee Roadmap would also make available 213,788 hectares of area planted with coffee nationwide, translating to a huge yield of one ton of coffee beans per hectare—a huge discrepancy from the usual 0.33 ton per hectare. The task of implementing the roadmap falls on the Philippine Coffee Council.
Lopez is optimistic that the country will be able to achieve this feat especially with DTI assisting the coffee industry, which is one of the priority sectors of the agency.
“Through DTI’s 7Ms (Mindset change, Mastery, Mentoring, Money, Machine, and Models), we will continue to provide enabling mechanisms to empower coffee farmers and help in addressing the challenges in the industry,” Sec. Lopez added.
Data shows that Vietnam is the highest exporter of coffee green beans to the Philippines. Filipinos are also fifth among the highest consumers of coffee behind EU, US, Brazil, and Japan. Similarly, the Philippines is the top importer of soluble coffee and fourth total importer in the world.
As far as coffee production is concerned, the gap between coffee demand and production is widely noticed with demand for coffee is at 90% and imports amounting to P12 billion. The demand is still increasing with expanding consumption based among younger generation.
Currently, the top five regions in producing coffee are SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12) with 25,100.77 metric tons, Davao with 11,429.78 metric tons, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 10,341.59 metric tons, Northern Mindanao with 5,604.95 metric tons, and Western Visayas with 4,356.25 metric tons.
With the Philippine Coffee Roadmap as guide, the trade and agriculture departments together the private sector, and other coffee stakeholders held last March 20-21, 2018, the 3rd Philippine Coffee Conference in Baguio City and presented the coffee industry’s performance on the first year of the implementation of the roadmap.
The conference also discussed among other topics, the strategies to achieve the goals of the Philippine Coffee Roadmap, trends in coffee brewing methods, quality coffee farming of arabica and fine robusta, retailing a coffee business, financing for coffee business, and coffee business models.
by admin | Apr 14, 2018 | DOST Updates, Headlines
DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña and DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez sign the MOA in the presence of (from L to R): DTI Assistant Secretary Demphna Du-Naga, DTI Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya, and DOST Undersecretary Brenda Nazareth-Manzano.
TAGUIG—Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña signed an MOU to promote Filipino innovation, or “Filipinovation,” for entrepreneurs.
“Innovation is when you fix something, even if it’s not broken. In entrepreneurship, continuous innovation in products, processes, business model, is the only way to survive,” said Secretary Lopez.
“Through the MOU, DTI and DOST will merge One Town One Product (OTOP) and Go Lokal entrepreneurs with DOST’s oneSTore.PH hubs. ‘OTOPrepreneurs’ may now also use DOST’s online store, oneSTore.PH, to sell their products”, Sec. de la Peña said.
Meanwhile, DOST will also provide selected Negosyo Centers with S&T Nooks for those who want to access DOST’s resources but don’t have internet connection.
MSMEs comprise 99.6% of enterprises and 70% of employment in the country, but only account for 35% – 40% of Gross Value Added contribution to the economy. Sec. Lopez said innovation can bridge this gap because when MSMEs transform raw materials into quality products, they can sell at premium prices and reach international markets.
“President Duterte wants to make the MSMEs smarter and bigger, not just in number, but also in terms of contribution to the economy. It’s easy to become an entrepreneur—but to have high quality, differentiated products is the real challenge, but it is their ticket to greater success and better quality life,” added Sec. Lopez.
DTI and DOST previously signed an MOU in 2017 to formulate and implement the Inclusive Filipinovation & Entrepreneurship Roadmap. To implement this, DTI has the following programs to help entrepreneurs, among others:
- Shared Service Facilities (SSF), a machine-lending service to cooperatives;
- Pondo para sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3), a low-interest collateral-free loan program to MSMEs;
- Kapatid Mentor Me and SME Roving Academy training programs; and,
- Go Lokal!, a project that discovers and improves MSME products and helps them reach mainstream markets.
DTI also developed the Inclusive, Innovation-led, Industrial strategy (i3s)—wherein the academe, industry, and government sectors collaborate to solve business innovation challenges.
DOST on the other hand, provides the following services to MSMEs:
- Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SET UP), that provides machines and technology training to individuals or companies;
- Science and Technology Expert Volunteers’ Program (STEVPP), where S&T experts provide free consultations and assistance to communities and cooperatives;
- Testing and Calibration services to ensure that products reach health and quality standards; and
- Packaging and Labeling assistance.
