by admin | May 12, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
Philippine exports for the first quarter of 2017 grew by 18.34% after it reflected double-digit growth for March 2017 with 21% total increase amounting to $5.58 billion compared to $4.61 billion recorded value in the same period in 2016, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced.
In the recent report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the increase for March 2017 exports data, an almost double of the 11% year-on-year growth figure posted in February this year, further lifted the cumulative value of merchandise exports covering the period January-March 2017.
“Increase for March 2017 exports marked the fourth consecutive positive growth in the value of Philippine merchandise exports since December 2016,” explained DTI Export Marketing Bureau Director Senen M. Perlada.
For March 2017, electronics remained to be the country’s top export with total receipts of $2.80 billion, accounting for 50.2% of the total exports revenue in March 2017. It increased by 19.0% from $2.36 billion registered in March 2016.
On the other hand, exports of manufactured goods were valued at $4.69 billion, accounting for 84.1% share of the total export receipts in March 2017, went up by 16.5% from $4.03 billion recorded in the same month last year.
United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), with export receipts valued at $809.93 million, topped other countries as the Philippine top export market for March 2017. It is followed by Hong Kong with revenue amounting to $798.25 million, and Japan as third market with $762.43 million export sales.
By economic bloc, East Asia registered to be the top destination of Philippine goods with 46.4% share to total exports, followed by European Union with 16.2% share to total merchandise exports. ASEAN ranked third with 14.9% share in overall Philippine exported goods.
Against other trade-oriented economies, the Philippines landed at third place among the top export performers for March 2017, a major leap after landing 9th place for February 2017. Malaysia topped the list with 24.1% export growth followed by Indonesia with 24% for March 2017.
PH outward shipments for Q1
Covering the first quarter of the year, exports of Philippine electronic products increased significantly by 15.27% while non-electronic goods also posted +21.48%. Positive performance of the five out of nine subsectors of the electronics industry drive growth which contributed 96.65% share in the cumulative total value of the industry. Semiconductors, which grew +16.3% in the first quarter of 2017, remained to be country’s top electronics exports.
Increase for non-electronic goods was driven by the triple-digit growths in Forest Products (+168.1%) and Coconut Products (+133.1%). The rest of the contributing commodities exhibited double-digit increases ranging from 18.7% to 89.4% except for Basketwork (+8.1%) and Travel Goods and Handbags (+7.6%).
Top markets for Q1
Except for Japan, cumulative value of export shipments to top market destinations of the country posted substantive growths in the first quarter of 2017. Combined markets of China and Hong Kong with a share of 23.6% which also grew by 35.94% topped the list of exports destinations. Second to the list with total 15.49% share was USA which rose by 13.66%; followed by Japan with 15.34% total share of exports which declined by 17.41%.
In terms of year-to-date export growth, shipments to the Netherlands, which has 4.12% share in total exports, reflected the highest growth with 55.98%.
by admin | May 12, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reminds business owners whose BN registrations will expire on June 30, 2017. DTI Bohol accepts early renewal of business name registration three (3) months before its expiry.
BN registrations that have already expired, but are still within three (3) months or ninety (90) days from the expiry date will be renewed without penalty. On the other hand, BN registrations that expired ninety one (91) days or more after their expiry dates can still be renewed but, with a fifty percent (50%) penalty/surcharge on the basic fee.
Business name registrations not renewed beyond one hundred eighty (180) days will be deleted automatically from our records thus, a new registration will be required.
by admin | May 11, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, Negosyo Center Updates
TAGBILARAN CITY, May 11, (PIA)–Eighteen Bohol micro, small medium enterprises (MSME) signed a pledge of commitment with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Go Negosyo with its Kapatid Mentor Me Program (KMMP) and the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) through the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) during an orientation May 11 at the Belian Hotel.
KMMP intends to help micro, small and medium enterprises upgrade their businesses through coaching and mentoring activities by big brother business owners and practitioners.
The coaching would be on the various aspects and different stages of entrepreneurships, offered through the Go Negosyo Centers, explains Virgilio Espeleta, Boholano dean of the PCE and who talked about the mentoring program set in Bohol this May.
He said there are just a few interventions for entrepreneurs to up-scale their businesses.
While he cited the concept of Shared Service Facilities (SSF) that allows machineries and facilities through government intervention, the business expert picks mentoring as crucial in providing the business know-how to budding entrepreneurs ready to enlarge their businesses.
He also said mentoring can also come in the form of giving management tips if only to allow them to gain a good business sense especially on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.
The DTI believes that a way to assist MSMES scale up and sustain their business enterprises by equipping them and empowering them with the skills needed for such.
Here, mentoring happens care of business aces in their same fields who would act as big brothers to the budding businessmen through theoretical lectures and mentoring or coaching sessions.
As to how an MSME gets to be matched to a big brother mentor, it is the Go Negosyo Centers, which the DTI puts up by law, explains DTI Bohol chief Marisol Balistoy.
Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act, aims to promote ease of doing business through business facilitation and consultations as well as help create jobs and livelihood.
Acting as coordinating centers, the Go Negosyo Centers send out partners and partner organizations like private corporations, leading entrepreneurs, micro-finance institutions, academes, non government organizations, government agencies and industry leaders to the MSMEs needing advice and egging to scale up.
The DTI and the Negosyo Centers which have started sprouting in Bohol since two years ago, have pre-identified entrepreneur clients which comprise the long list of businesses needing mentoring interventions.
The 18 entrepreneurs signing up for the KMMP this May 17 all agree after the Orientation that the program would allow them to improve their current enterprises through lectures, coaching and mentoring sessions and as such pledge to attend scheduled sessions.
They also pledge to comply with assigned tasks, participate during discussions, share experiences, challenges and best practices with mentees, regularly report weekly business performance during the mentorship duration, make available to Negosyo Centers updates of their business performances and develop further through DTI follow up programs.
Signing in for the KMMP in Bohol are Laina’s Furniture, Dango’s Furniture, Reinlitz’s Furniture, Suyman’s Furniture, Ifugao in Bohol Furniture, Buenaventurada Farms, Paeng’s Fried Chicken, Estrella’s Bakery.
Masimo Pizzeria Ristorante Italiano, Gelateria Milano, Bayonas Motors, Prime of Asia Handicrafts, Virtucio Designs, Co-Nature Handicrafts, Tiburcio’s Place, Tubigon Loomweavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Egay’s Farm and GK3 Handicrafts.
Other MSMEDs are now lined up for the next batch of KMMP in Bohol, assured Balistoy who assured that the office is now processing the funding for a new batch of mentoring. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
Bohol MSMEs show the thumbs up sign as the DTI and PCE through the BCCI bring to Bohol the Kapatid Mentor Me Program to help small entrepreneurs up-scale their businesses and sustain through coaching by industry leaders. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | May 11, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently conducted a public consultation/ on the “Draft Department Administrative Order (DAO) on the “Implementing Guidelines on the grant of BAGWIS AWARD to business establishments that uphold consumers’ rights“ at the Bayfront Hotel in Cebu City.
The public hearing was participated by retailers and representatives of business establishments in the Visayas (Regions 6, 7, 8 and 9).
Bagwis Award is a recognition program for business establishments that engage in fair trade business ethics and uphold consumers’ interest by embedding consumer protection at the core of their business operations.
The award covers business establishments under the following categories: Supermarkets, Department Stores, Appliance Centers and DTI Accredited Service and Repair Shops.
With the Bagwis program, DTI aims to foster balance between engaging in business and safeguarding the welfare of consumers and promotes a healthy competition among establishments to ensure that the welfare of consumers is constantly safeguarded.
DTI has placed considerable effort to campaign for more establishments to be accredited in this program to apply as this promotes business while protecting the welfare of consumers.
Business establishments have been encouraged by the department to improve their services to clients and consumers each year. DTI has encouraged the Bronze awardees to upgrade to silver or gold awards and urged more establishments to strictly comply with consumer laws and improve on their customer care to qualify for the awards.
A draft of the DAO can be downloaded at the DTI website, www.dti.gov.ph.
Written endorsement/ position/ comments on the DAO may be submitted to the Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) c/o Assistant Director Lilian G. Salonga at the Trade and Industry Building, 361 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, 1200 Makati City or through email address CPAB@dti.gov.ph at any time before the date of hearing indicated.
For more information on the services of the DTI, log-on to http://www.dti.gov.ph
by admin | May 9, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, Sports
TAGBILARAN CITY, May 9, (PIA)–It may have happened before, but the recent Bike for Peace activities organized by the Philippine National Police Regional Office 7 in Bohol is the first among the upcoming events, announced Police regional Chief PCSuperintendent Noli Taliño in Panglao.
General Taliño, who did not fail to mention the beautiful and scenic 18 kilometer route from Camp Dagohoy to Panglao passing through the Dauis causeway, said the Police Regional Office thought of the ride as the police little help to assure tourists that it is safe to live, roam around and do business in Bohol.
Taliño led the PRO Officials including deputy regional director for administration PCSupt Franklin Moises Mabanag, PSupt Clarito Baja, Bohol Police Chief PSSupt Felipe Natividad, and his officials in the 20 kilometer ride that pedaled off from Camp Dagohoy, to Panglao Plaza, then to Alona before going back to the Plaza for a short program.
From here, we might do the same to other nearby provinces, he added.
The group arrived to a zumba dance session with Panglao local officials leading the early morning stretch.
Later, PCSupt Talino moved off and led the police bikers in the zumba until the program started.
Also in the ride pack were police officers and men from the regional office, police officer bikers from the towns, bike groups from Baclayon, Alburquerque, Bike Kings, Bike ta Bai, Bol-anon Cyclists, Cortes bikers, Antequera BeerBogs, Maribojoc, Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine Information Agency, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Capitol Bikers, Dauis and Panglao bikers.
“We wanted to get to Alona because we want to show to the tourists that it is completely safe to go to Panglao, and to Anda,” Taliño who earlier talked to the national media with his Met bike helmet still on, said.
We are picking Panglao and Anda, two of Bohol’s famous beach destinations frequented by foreigners, he said even as 10 of the 12 members of the Abu Sayyaf bandits that stealthily arrived in Bohol have been killed in relentless government operations since April 11.
The arrival of the bandits and their notorious ways of kidnapping for ransom and bombing soft targets have forced foreign embassies to issue travel advisories in the Visayas and southern Philippines.
By May 10, the Bike groups move to Jagna for another round of bike rides for peace, Taliño appraised everyone, which included bike groups and healthy lifestyle enthusiasts gathered at the plaza.
The second bike ride for peace in Bohol pushes off from the Insular plaza in Jagna and takes the Bohol belt highway to Guindulman before turning right to the tourism destination called Anda, 36 kilometers away.
The PRO and the Bohol Provincial Police Office has invited nearby police stations and the community in Anda to gather at the Quinale to be there at the briefings that happen as the bikers arrive.
In the menu are briefings on terrorism, anti crime and other relevant topics that would affect that part of Bohol, according to SPO1 Jennifer Atanacio.
Atanacio, former Camp Dagohoy Information Officer said they have prepared a transport for bikers and bikes from Camp Dagohoy to Jagna and back to Tagbilaran, for those joining the events. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
General Taliño explains the rationale behind the Bike for Peace which the PRO brings to Panglao and Anda in Bohol May 9-10. The first ride for peace under his term, the Bike for Peace would also be done in other Central Visayan provinces, Taliño said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | May 9, 2017 | ASEAN agenda, DTI Updates, Headlines
Calls on negotiators to find ways to solve pending issues
MANILA—All 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners should show “political willingness to move the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) forward,” the country’s trade chief asserted.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said that political determination of all 16 RCEP participating countries is most crucial in pushing for the substantial conclusion of RCEP, following 17 rounds of negotiations since 2012.
China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and India are the six FTA partners of the 10 AMS Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and the Philippines.
Speaking at the opening of the 18th RCEP Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) Meeting and Related Meetings on 8 May, Sec. Lopez, as chair of ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting, enjoined lead negotiators to “find solutions to all remaining challenges” that hinder RCEP conclusion.
“We want to find solutions as soon as possible because I think we are nearing substantial conclusion. Let us find ways to solve remaining issues,” he said, hoping that related meetings in the future will not be pressed by the same challenges of today.
The potential 3.5 billion market
Being negotiated to bring about positive and beneficial outcomes, RCEP is seen to intensify trade and investments, lower trade barriers, facilitate trade, and galvanize the gains from regional economic integration—among the most dynamic economies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Now on its 18th round in Manila, RCEP is armed with the momentum of having thus far concluded chapters on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), Economic and Technical Cooperation, and, in principle, the Competition Chapter.
“With our markets integrated, we will be more attractive and competitive in partnering for change and in engaging the world. As host, the Philippines is keen on opening up opportunities for SMEs to play an integral role in the global value chains,” Sec. Lopez said.
The full and effective implementation of RCEP can expand the current 620 million ASEAN market to a greater integrated market of 3.5 billion with the six FTA partners, accounting for almost half of the world’s population and almost 30 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
For ASEAN, RCEP is a reflection of the organization’s thoughtful and deliberate process of integrating the region into the global economy, building on the ASEAN + 1 FTAs with ASEAN Dialogue Partners.
Sec. Lopez reiterated that RCEP should translate to generation of more jobs and creation of more business opportunities for ASEAN citizens.
Call for an expedited negotiation
“RCEP is indispensable as it is designed to be pragmatic, paying heed to the levels of development and sensitivities of each negotiating country,” explained Sec. Lopez, adding that despite the more uncertain geopolitical and economic climate, ASEAN remains resilient and progressive, inclusive and forward-looking, as evidenced by “the continued increase in trade and investments towards achieving shared economic prosperity.”
The trade chief encouraged RCEP lead negotiators to expedite negotiations without sacrificing quality and long-term economic gains to achieve a substantial conclusion of a high quality and credible RCEP by year-end.
The 18th RCEP TNC Meeting and Related Meetings ends 12 May.
“I look forward to hearing good outcomes when I meet fellow ministers at the 3rd Inter-sessional RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi a few days from now,” he concluded.
