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DTI cuts bureaucratic red tape on SRP setting
DTI cuts bureaucratic red tape on SRP setting MAKATI—Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez recently (5 April) convened the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) to closely evaluate the price and supply situation of basic necessities and prime commodities during the first quarter of this year. During the meeting, DTI discussed its stand to deregulate the setting of Suggested Retail Prices (SRP) on certain commodities to reduce bureaucratic red tape in the system, while it continues to closely monitor the movement of prices of products and ensure fair trade in the market. DTI clarified that there will still be SRPs on manufactured products but it can be set by the companies themselves for guidance of the supermarkets and consumers. These SRPs will still be closely monitored by DTI. “We can let the companies set the SRPs because products with competitive market players and several brands, both locally produced and imported, have their ‘self-correcting mechanism’ on their prices,” said Sec. Lopez. “In fact, prices of brands and commodities that do not pass the approval system of DTI before remained stable and some are even declining because of competition” he added. Sec. Lopez believes that liberalizing price setting would help spur competition among industries and would further improve their product quality. “DTI would prioritize the protection of the consumers by ensuring that industries have a competitive business environment that allows entry of brands and players in the market and give the consumers the widest range of choice,” the trade chief said. “We will continue to closely monitor the prices of basic goods, and will have the oversight function to... read morePH to push ASEAN’s bid to engage Japan on innovation and MSME inclusivity—Lopez
As the Philippines chairs the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM) and Related Meetings for this year, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez is determined to advance ASEAN’s objective to engage Japan on innovation and inclusivity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), during the AEM Roadshow to Japan from 6 to 8 April 2017. ASEAN economic ministers will also call on Japan’s top leaders and government officials in a consistent bid to strengthen bilateral relations between ASEAN and Japan. The AEM Roadshow will include site visits to some Japanese companies in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Wakayama. “ASEAN is keen to engage with Japan on the theme of innovation and on how this can strengthen not only industries but MSMEs,” said Sec. Lopez, chair of AEM, whose domestic advocacy on developing MSMEs through innovation aligns with ASEAN’s intention. The ASEAN delegation with ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh is set to meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Minister Hiroshige Seko of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), as well as some public officials. “Given Japan’s stature as one of ASEAN’s worthy trading partners and the continually growing trade between the two, we cannot stress enough the importance of this Roadshow in further strengthening relations between ASEAN and Japan,” he added. The trade chief also noted that during the first Roadshow in 2016, ASEAN economic ministers were impressed at what they witnessed in the showcase of Japanese resilience and human resource development. Likewise, the ASEAN Member States (AMS) gained a deeper understanding of the importance of regional efforts on disaster resiliency, according to him. “Japan is... read more
PH seeks to increase coco exports to EU
Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) with assistance from Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) – Berlin recently attended the Oils + Fats 2017 event held in Munich to promote Philippine Coconut products to the European Union (EU). According to PTIC Berlin Commercial Counsellor Althea Antonio, the visit to Germany by Philippine officials included meetings with senior executives of various organizations such as Coconut Business GmbH, Dr. Georg GmbH, and the Association of Oilseed Crushing & Oil Refining Industry in Germany (OVID). The Philippines is the number one supplier of coconut oil to Germany according to OVID. However, Philippine exporters face hurdles such as mineral oil content and EU regulations. To this end, collaborative efforts are to be undertaken by the PCA, DTI through PTIC-Berlin, and other relevant agencies in the aspect of information-sharing. Currently, the PCA is also looking into measures on how to increase the volume of exports through re-planting programs and consolidation of production by small coconut farmers to supply big volume orders from international buyers. PCA officials who recently visited Germany last 11-18 September for the mission include PCA Administrator Romulo de la Rosa, Director Alan Tanjuakio, and Director...TechTalks.PH Tagbilaran Holds Meetup with Local Entreprenuers at Bohol Fab Lab
TechTalks.PH Tagbilaran, in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, held a meetup with local entrepreneurs at Bohol Fab Lab at the Bohol Island State University on November 22, 2014. Jerome Auza of Auza.Net presented a learning session on “Getting Your Website Ready for Viral Fame” and Ms. Lai Biliran of Alturas Group of Companies discussed on an “Introduction to Entrepreneurship”. Auza discussed on the requirements to make websites ready to receive high traffic when a product or content on the website becomes popular. He showed reports generated from backend analytics of some of Auza.Net’s high traffic websites. He also showed an example of the monitoring data and reports for a high traffic website during times when the content of a website becomes popular and goes viral. “Viral” is a tech lingo which means the content becomes exponentially popular on the Internet. Biliran talked about the history of the Alturas Group of Companies which grew from a small sari-sari store to the largest employer in the province. From its humble beginnings, the group now is now into various industries such as aquaculture, feed mill, poultry, swine and other production and processing businesses. This is aside from the retail industry where the group has expanded to strategic points of presence in Bohol and Cebu. During the round table discussion, the resource persons and the participants exchanged ideas on how the TechTalks.PH Tagbilaran group could help local entrepreneurs who are not necessarily in the technology sector. Future sessions could also include case studies featuring a local entrepreneur’s product and discussion on how information technology could make the product into a commercial...Local News/ Bohol Balita
NegOr army’s tall order: Stamp rebels in 3 years
STAMP insurgents and get Negros Oriental declared insurgency free in three years. This was the tall order issued by the Regional Peace and Order Council in Central Visayas (RPOC-7) through its chairman, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to the army commander assigned for internal security operation in eastern Negros. At the RPOC7 full council meeting held at the Bohol Tropics Resort in the tourism city of Tagbilaran, July 27, the tall order coming from the petite and yet fearless Cebu governor resounded as a crisp challenge for the army units assigned in Negros Oriental. Negros Oriental, one of the provinces that hosted the fleeing insurgents from Bohol and Cebu has battled with the uncomfortable tag of being the remaining province in the region that is saddled with the peace and order problem. And taking tall order is 302nd Brigade’s Colonel Manuel Garchitorena, commanding officer of the military units now tasked to reduce insurgency in the province to insignificance. At his disposal for the tough mission are his battalion based in barangay McKinley, Guihulngan Neg. Oriental and the 79th Infantry Battalion based in Siaton. Dipped into the highly impenetrable terrains of Negros Oriental and the easy and porous boundary to Negros Occidental, the army’s operations have been fairly successful since rebels who cross the border to Negros Occidental can hardly be pursued. Compounded by the problem of porous boundaries in the regions, PCSupt Lane O Nerez added that the insurgency problem in Negros island can not be seen as a problem of Oriental but of the Occidental side of the island as well. Officially getting the mandate to end insurgency there...Wang-wang idonar sa mga lugar Nga lagmit maigo sa katalagman
ILARAW sa Kampo Dagohoy nga kon katugotan, ilang idonar ang mga nasakmit nga wangwang ngadto sa mga lugar nga may kakuyaw sa katalagman sama sa daling kalunopan. Matud ni Pssupt Rodolfo Llorca, gilantaw na nga inay dili na kahimuslan ang mga nasakmit nga wangwang nga illegal nga gipangtaud sa mga sakyanan, ang masakpan ila nga himoong tabang sa pagpahibawo sa mga tawo sa panahon nga kinahanglan nang mo-hiklin sa katalagaman. Sa paglusad sa Talakayan sa Insyung Pulis, gibutyag ni Llorca nga mas makatabang ang wangwang sa mga komunidad nga naa sa agi-anan sa katalagman kay sa yanong pag-embargo lang ang himoon. Kahinunmduman nga mimandu si Presidente Simeon Benigno Aquino nga dakpon ang mga sakyanang nagtaud og wangwang aron lamang makalusot sa trapiko....“High value commercial crops” Mopasaka sa kita sa mag-uuma
KON buot nato nga kapun-an ang kita sa mag-uuma, ang high value commercial crops angay maoy tan-awon sa mga tinugyanan. Ang pasabot gikan mismo sa baba sa kanhi kalihim sa Agrikultura, Arthur Yap, kinsa namulong atol sa pagbukas sa Agri-tekno Fair sa nataran sa Provincial Agriculture Office. Kon ang usa ka ektarya nga humay mo-ani lamag 60 ka kaban ug mahali’g P50 mil, ang letsugas o lettuce mohatag sa mag-uuma’g P400 mil sa matag ektarya, butyag ni Yap, kinsa mao nay representante sa tersero distrito sa Bohol. Bisan sa watermelon lamang, matud niya mo-hatag og P300 mil matag ektarya, ug kini may posibleng maayong pilianan sa mga mag-uuma, kinsa, dugang ni Yap, angay makapahimulos sa pagtaas sa turismo dinhi. Kapin kon kulang 600 mil ka turista ang mosuroy sa Bohol matag tuig, ug daghan niini, dili na gani kaayo mokaon og kan-on, mao nga sumpay ni Yap, mahimong imintinar na lamang ang 113 ka porysentong rice sufficiency sa Bohol ug ugmaron ang High Value commercial crops. May mga teknolohiyang mahimong kasawhan sa mga interesadong mag-uuma didto sa Buhatan sa Provincial Agriculture, panapos niya....Capitol to establish Policy study group
A research unit that would be based at the Capitol’s executive branch would be another pro-active innovation in governance, beams Governor Edgar Chatto during a recent meeting with national government executives. Chatto, who institutionalized research as an aid in governance also institutionalized the Special Projects Unit (SPU) at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan when he was still the province’s top legislative officer. “We are institutionalizing a Capitol Research Group, which is a policy study body that will be working as a factual and research based unit to advance support to your offices,” Chatto told government executives in Bohol. As a legislator, having been a board member, vice governor and congressman, Chatto has seen the need to put up a support group to allow the formalizing of legislative or technical support. Many groups talk to the government officials about their needs and some of them do not have the capacity to draft resolutions, submit official proposals and put in proper data to support their intentions, and here enters the task of the research group, he explained. He cited that in his experience, government agencies and offices sometimes propose amendments or repeal of certain laws and the usual process is for them to write to their representatives. That does not always work well as the legislators need a comprehensive study group that would put up the substance of the desired legislative action, and a Capitol research body would do that for them, he elucidated some more. “You, as field workers in the field know which needs to be corrected and your inputs to the research groups would be a big help,” he said....Oplan’s slippers invade San Isidro, San Miguel
DEFINITELY, they are not just your usual cops. Behind that iron hand keeping peace and order, Bohol cops also have that malleable heart that melts for our kids who would otherwise go to school barefoot. While celebrating Police Community Relations (PCR) Month in July, officers and men of the Bohol Police Provincial Office led by Provincial Director Rodolfo A. Llorca went a bit further to hand out slippers and school supplies to young kids in rural areas. According to PCR officer PCinspector John Gano, Camp Dagohoy has been collecting at least a pair of slippers and school supplies from more than a thousand integral men in the force to advance police relations. The slippers go to young kids whom, police officers and men believe would be motivated to go to school if given the comfort of school supplies and slip-ons. The activity is the BPPO’s second in a series, the first was in San Miguel town, relates PCInsp. Gano during the recent Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP). In San Isidro last week, Mayor Jacinto Naraga warmly welcomed the police troops led by PSSupt. Llorca during a slipper and school supply distribution ceremony to elementary school pupils of Barangay Cambansag, Cansague Norte and Abehilan at the Cambansag Primary School grounds, says San Isidro Municipal Information Officer Eric Jinne Flor. “It’s a heart-warming scene, children and even young mother try on the new slippers, elation warmly painted in their faces,” a police-woman shares her experience during a distribution ceremony last July 16. “How would a stonehearted cop feel when a kid tells him she will not wear the slippers yet, so...National News
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