by admin | Apr 19, 2017 | ASEAN agenda, Headlines
Bohol is etching history in global policy-making when it hosts starting today a series of major meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that will expand the country’s market access to half of the world’s population.
The Inter-Sessional ASEAN Caucus Meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade Negotiating Committee (TNC) will run at the Hennan Resort on the prime resort island of Panglao until Friday.
The lead negotiators convene to finalize the ASEAN position on outstanding issues and develop a pathway toward the conclusion of negotiations by year-end.
The delegates are led by the ministers and senior officials from the 10 ASEAN members, which are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the host country, the Philippines.
This year’s chairmanship of the ASEAN has been entrusted to the Philippines under Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine agency sponsoring the Bohol meetings is the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Not just among the ASEAN members, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations also involve Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea and New Zealand.
The 16-party negotiations during the Bohol ASEAN meetings, which have some 200 delegates, are targeted to be concluded within the year.
Once completed, it will be the Philippines’ biggest FTA, linking the country and bringing the Philippine businesses improved market access to half of the world’s population.
The lead negotiators at the ASEAN meetings in Bohol consist of ASEAN Secretariat Director Julia Tijaja; First Secretary Yusdiman Saman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam; Deputy Director General of International Trade Tan Yuvaroath, Ministry of Commerce, Cambodia; Director Donna Gultom, Ministry of Trade, Indonesia; Director General Laohua Cheutching, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Laos; Deputy Secretary General for Trade Isham Ishak, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia; Director Tin Aye Han, Directorate on Investment and Company Administration, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar; Director Sulaimah Mahmood, ASEAN Division, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore; Director of ASEAN Affairs Bureau Chotima Iemsawasdikul, Department of Trade Negotiations, Thailand; Director General Iman Pambagyo, International Trade Cooperation, Ministry of Trade Negotiations, who is also the ASEAN Trade Negotiations Committee Chair; Director Cuong Ba Tran, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam; and Assistant Secretary Anna Maria Rosario Diaz Robeniol, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippines.
Amb. Marciano Paynor, Jr., presidential protocol officer and head of the National Organizing Council (NOC) for the ASEAN Summit 2017, commended the preparation of Bohol under Gov. Edgar Chatto for the meetings that will redefine not just the fate of the ASEAN but Asia-Pacific Region.
The Bohol meetings have over 200 ASEAN delegates, according to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Catalino Cuy, who saw the governor as soon as he arrived here yesterday.
During their embassy briefing in Manila on Monday, no ASEAN delegate raised the Inabanga incident which could mean the issue has not affected them and they are more excited to experience Bohol’s beauty and its people’s charm, according to Cuy.
The new DILG Secretary said he was asked by Paynor to relay to Chatto the ASEAN-NOC head’s commendation of the governor’s leadership of Bohol.
The delegations from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines already arrived yesterday.
Chatto will lead the Bohol government in tendering a welcome dinner for the ASEAN delegates and invited guests tomorrowevening.
Bohol is also privileged to promote tourism and investment during the ASEAN event, which resulting trade, industry and other economic policies are to strengthen the ASEAN as a global economic player—and essential to the development and growth of the localities of its member states.
There are few other select areas in the country for the different major ASEAN meetings, which are all integral to the Philippine hosting of the ASEAN 2017 Summit that will culminate in the final quarter this year.
Chatto is optimistic that Bohol will do gain being one of the venues of the ASEAN meetings, which essence and impact on the local economic growth and development can be immeasurable.
Further, Bohol is securing a glowing page in the history of ASEAN as the league of 10 nations marks this year its golden founding anniversary.
by admin | Apr 18, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
As funds for the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) expected to be released anytime soon, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its micro-financing arm Small Business Corporation (SB Corp) have ironed out the guidelines of its implementation that will help micro entrepreneurs throughout the country.
Being the administration’s program to provide an affordable micro-financing for the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the P3 funding program provides micro enterprises an alternative source of financing that is easy to access and made available at a reasonable cost.
“We’re very much excited because this is our vision in the agency—to help underprivileged by giving better chances to elevate from poverty. Through this micro-financing program, those from the bottom of the pyramid will get to climb the ladder by expanding their businesses,” DTI – Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG) Supervising Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez is set to introduce the national conduits and local Micro-financing Institutions (MFIs) for the P3 program.
The Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3) is a P1 billion financing program intended to give MSMEs better access to finance and to reduce their cost of borrowing. The fund will also give priority to the country’s 30 poorest provinces.
Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to replace the “5-6” money lending system, the P3 is also seen to help stabilize supply and cost of commodities in public markets, encourage small entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and offer employment and generate income for Filipinos.
The P1 billion fund of the P3 program from the Office of the President will be coursed through the SB Corp., which will accredit partner institutions such as non-bank MFIs, cooperatives and associations to serve as conduit for the P3 funds. With borrowers identified through these, collection of repayments will be efficient.
“We’re very grateful that this Program has become a reality. MSMEs now have an option to avail of cheaper funds to expand their business,” Maglaya explained.
The P3 Program was launched in Tacloban in Leyte on January 25, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on January 27, and Alabel, Sarangani last January 30.
The primary beneficiaries of the P3 Program are microenterprises and entrepreneurs that do not have easy access to credit. These include market vendors, agri-businessmen and members of cooperatives, and industry associations.
P3 will also make it easy for borrowers since it will only require minimal documentation requirement; easy to access with only one (1) day processing of application; low cost interest at 2.5% per month; and easy payment with collection on a weekly or daily basis, as necessary.
Loan amounts to end-borrowers will range between P5,000 and P100,000, with no collateral requirement.
by admin | Apr 18, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, National News
Philippine exports posted an increase of 11% with total sales of $4.782 billion for the month of February 2017, marking its third month of positive growth according to a report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
For February 2017, eight out of ten top major Philippine exported goods rose with electronic products comprising 51.6% of the total exports revenue amounting to $2.470 billion compared to $2.131 billion registered in the same period last year. Other products that increased include cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper (946.9%); other mineral products (107.5%); coconut oil (66.5%); electronic equipment and parts (64.9%); metal components (29.4%); other manufactures (20.1%); electronic products (15.9%); and chemicals (9.6%).
United States (US) topped other Philippine export destinations for the said month, accounting for 15.6% to total exports with receipts valued at $745.22 million. It is followed by Japan with 15.25% share with revenues amounting to $728.35 million.
The increase in February 2017 exports lifted the cumulative value of merchandise exports by 17.36% for the first two months of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016, based on preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Continued export growth can be attributed to the significant increase of Philippine electronic products by 13.24% in the first two months of 2017. This stemmed from the positive performance of the six out of nine subsectors of the industry which contributed 96.74% share in the cumulative total value of the industry.
Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) noted that the increasing efforts of the Philippines in strengthening ties with its ASEAN neighbors including China is expected to sustain the growth of the sector in the coming months.
“Enhancing trade promotion efforts to huge consumer markets is seen as a viable strategy in sustaining the performance of Philippine exports in the coming months,” said DTI-EMB Director Senen M. Perlada.
As the Philippines serves host for this year’s ASEAN Summit, the country is pushing for the conclusion of the ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations. RCEP is the free trade agreement being advocated by the ASEAN 10-member states with its six (6) dialogue partners including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India.
“RCEP is the chance to balance the country’s trade deficit, especially with China,” emphasized Perlada.
Among selected trade-oriented economies in Asia, the Philippines placed 9th in terms of exports growth, a decline after it placed third last month. Vietnam topped the list for February 2017 with 29.6% recorded exports growth, a significant increase after dropping to among the worst performers for January 2017.
“We see a trend of recovery among economies in the first two months of 2017. For us in the Philippines, the numbers are healthy. While we ranked 9th for this month, on a year-to-date (YTD) analysis among selected trade-oriented economies, we placed third in terms of export growth. This is a signal of a robust export sector,” explained Perlada.
by admin | Apr 17, 2017 | ASEAN agenda, DTI Updates, Headlines
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Design Center of the Philippines (Design Center) will be holding the ASEAN Creative Cities Forum and Exhibition (ACCFE) slated on 24-27 April 2017 at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
Through ACCFE, the country aims to promote the lucrative economic potentials of its creative industries, creative clusters, and creative cities as a viable strategy for sustainable and inclusive development in the region.
“This is also a key initiative to usher the membership of at least one Philippine city in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network by 2018 and further support the development of the 2017 Creative Industries Roadmap,” highlighted DTI Trade and Investments Promotion Group Undersecretary and ASEAN 2017 Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP) Chairperson Nora K. Terrado.
The event also aims to establish DTI and its Design Center of the Philippines as key players in the development of the Philippine Creative Industries particularly in the area of design.
“The Philippines is teeming with rich talent in various creative fields, including sectors that are under Design Center’s mandate—product design, fashion, graphic design. It’s about time we recognize this, and harness this pool of creativity towards a movement that will be beneficial to all creative stakeholders,” shares Rhea O. Matute, Executive Director of the Design Center.
Creative economy is an emerging concept that deals with creativity, culture, economics and technology. Vital to this emerging type of economy are goods and services that use creativity and intellectual property as primary inputs.
“To have one Philippine city included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network would mean that every Filipino’s creative assets transformed into products or services contribute to the country’s development,” added Matute.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recently highlighted the role of creative industries in bringing in economic growth through trade and intellectual property rights activities. Various creative services in the Philippines, such as the animation industry which is gaining traction in the international community, are currently being promoted extensively in the global market.
The ASEAN Creative Cities Forum and Exhibition will feature initiatives of 10 ASEAN member states through various activities that highlight the role of culture and creativity in driving sustainable and inclusive development in the region. Key influencers, advocates, and champions in the field are expected to hold discussions.
At present, there are only four cities from ASEAN member countries that are part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. These include Bandung in Indonesia for Design; Pekalongan in Indonesia for Crafts and Folk Art; Phuket in Thailand for Gastronomy; and Singapore for Design.
by admin | Apr 17, 2017 | DTI Updates, Headlines, Malakanyang Updates, National News
‘
DOHA, QATAR—Dutertenomics, the new way to sum-up Philippine (PH) President Rodrigo Duterte’s key socio-economic agenda, which aims to widen the gains of economic development, to address inequality and to uplift the quality of life of all Filipinos, was used to describe the various initiatives undertaken in the official Middle East visits of President Duterte.
PH Cabinet members reported, in a press briefing, several gains in securing the safety and welfare of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in these countries, several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and agreements in the field of education, health, vocational and skills training, economic investment and technical cooperation with the three countries that the official delegation visited, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Bahrain and Qatar from 10 to 16 April.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said that the chief executive’s visits to these Middle East countries significantly strengthened the relationship between President Duterte and each of the leaders in the three nations, resulting in stronger commitment to build-up on PH bilateral trade and investments with KSA, Bahrain and Qatar.
All these initiatives form part the ‘Dutertenomics’ that will create more job and income opportunities, and improve the lives of many Filipinos. These opportunities will be dispersed throughout the country, uplifting the lives of the people in the provinces and addressing inequality in the country.
More trade and investments
President Duterte led the discussion on how trade can be more balanced by encouraging these Middle East countries to buy more of PH products to improve the trade balance. Said countries are the main sources of oil and oil products that PH has to import.
Aside from commitments to expand imports from PH, several initiatives to facilitate investments were signed.
Foremost among which is the Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (IPPA) with Qatar, which should facilitate the flow of bigger sized Qatar investments into PH. This agreement, the negotiations of which started nine years ago, will now make PH an eligible recipient of investment funds from the Qatar Sovereign Fund. Initial estimate of investment allocation is USD 1 billion.
The IPPA will basically provide internationally-recognized investors their rights and safeguards.
“Qatar investors will be treated fairly, will not be disadvantaged and will facilitate identification of opportunities and entry of investments,” Sec. Lopez said.
There are more investment MOUs and Letters of Intent (LOIs) signed that will bring in investments into PH.
Saudi Arabia
PH through PEZA, led by the DTI Secretary as Chairman, together with Director General Charito Plaza, was able to close USD 469 million-worth of business to business (B2B) LOIs, creating 16,000 new jobs in the areas of pharma generics, property development, medical tourism, ports warehouses, agri-industrial economic zones and Halal food processing industry zones, and tourism.
Bahrain
PH company AMA Group Holdings Corporation and Bahrain company Nader & Ebrahim Sons of Hassan Company W.L.L. (represented by Ebrahim Hassan Mubarak Alameer) signed an MOU, wherein parties agreed to acquire, by lease from land owners, an area of 10,000 hectares with additional investment of USD 250 million over three to five years. This will create 3,500 new jobs. When operation is full, employment will go up to 40,000, producing a total volume of 560,000 MT of various fruits and agriculture products, with export value of USD 280 million annually.
Qatar
Thirteen projects were signed amounting to USD 206 million, generating close to 6,000 workers. These projects will be in the areas of retirement village/hotel/ tourism economic zone in Romblon, Davao or Cebu; information technology (IT) and economic zone management services; hospitals and medical tourism; poultry and Halal food processing; digital marketing; manufacture of coco peat/coco fiber in South Cotabato; manufacture and export facility of nanostructured carbon; and agro-industrial economic zone in Palawan.
More prospects ahead
PH also told investors that the PH is the 2017 chair of the ASEAN regional meetings. At the top of its agenda is steering the ASEAN to full economic integration, which means that by capitalizing on PH’s location, not only will investors be able to access PH market of 105 million, but Phil will be their gateway to the bigger ASEAN market of 620 million people.
President Duterte also encouraged these Middle East countries to explore cooperation on several prime industry sectors in PH that investors can take part in, including agribusiness & agriculture; energy efficiency technologies & renewable energy; infrastructure/public-private partnership (PPP) projects; IT-business process management shared services; oil & gas; and tourism.
by admin | Apr 16, 2017 | Features, Headlines, Kontra Terorismo
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has exhorted the Boholanos to stay calm.
This after the running gunbattle on Holy Tuesday in barangay Napo in Inabanga town between government troops and members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
Aumentado said the authorities have been conducting mopping up operations against the now ragtag band to assure his constituents that “we will be safe”.
He echoed Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto’s declaration that the military and the police are using all available resources for these operations to see to it that the Boholanos and visitors to this tourism destination can live in peace.
Aumentado also allayed fears of vacationers who have earlier booked stays in hotels and resorts in Panglao that Napo is over 90 kilometers from the now famous white sand beach and emerald waters of the former, the go-to place hereabouts for bathing, diving, water sports and other beach activities now that summer is officially here,
While there were six ASG killed in the clash, to include their leader Muammar Askali alias Abu Rami, the solon the Bohoholanos must not be complacent.
The slaying of the ASG members, however, cost four lives of government troops.
Killed in action were
He appealed especially to those in his district, where the encounter happened, to inform the officials and the police as well as government troops should there be new faces, more so if carrying firearms or if with suspicious movements, or wounded, sighted in their respective localities.
BRIEFING THE MEDIA. Lt. Gen. Oscar Lactao (center), commander of the AFP’s Central Command, narrates initial information gathered from the encounter site in barangay Napo in Inabanga town. He is flanked by, from left, 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Arnulfo Matanguihan, Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District), Gov. Edgardo Chatto and Inabanga Mayor Josephine Socorro Jumamoy. Photo: Aris Aumentado’s Facebook Account
