by admin | Aug 12, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has expressed anxiety anew over the “wastage” of public funds in the re-clocking activities of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Aumentado says far from being shattered to merit re-blocking, the concrete pavements are still whole.
He says the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is heading in the right direction when it started improving local roads.
To note, the DILG has embarked into the Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP) program that started with provincial roads but will ultimately include all other roads.
Being one of initially 10 provinces that received grants from the Government of Australia to rehabilitate, maintain and improve provincial roads, Bohol already has a Provincial Road Network Development Plan (PRNDP).
With CMGP, however, DILG has instructed the provinces to upgrade their respective PRNDPs into Local Road Network Development Plans (LRNDP) to include city, municipal and even barangay roads.
It may not be easy, but Aumentado is looking at the possibility that DPWH and DILG can pool their resources together to help local government units (LGUs) improve their roads.
He said LGUs are mandated to allocate 20% of their income for development funds. Since the allocation of barangays and even municipalities are not as substantial as those of cities and provinces to rehabilitate, repair and improve roads, he expressed the desire that funds for re-blocking be spent for the former instead,
DPWH’ re-blocking activities have drawn flak from netizens who bash that agency for the seeming waste of public funds.
To register his opposition to early re-blocking, Aumentado filed a bill seeking to declare concrete roads to be “no touch” to DPWH and its contractors for the duration of their life span.
This means, he explained, roads designed to last for five years, if found still good, should be touched or re-blocked – only when the five years are up.
This will complement President Duterte’s economic agenda, he said.
With the national highways stil “untouchable”, DPWH will have the option of developing qualified rural roads instead.
Only then can the rural areas be empowered to contribute to the economy. To note, Aumentado said, bad roads spell delays in bringing farm produce to the market – make leafy greens wither and less saleable, and worse, at a higher price since habal-habal drivers charge higher fares.
by admin | Jul 28, 2018 | Business, DTI Updates, Local News / Bohol Balita
About 176 exhibitors from across the country gather together in this year’s Sandugo Trade Expo, a four-day marketing event organized by the Department of Trade and Industry.
“The Sandugo Trade Expo has already made a mark as one of the country’s most visited fairs,” DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Zenaida C. Maglaya said in her keynote message during the fair’s Opening Ceremonies.
Every year, the fair catches the attention of buyers and MSMEs from all over the country and has become part of the travel calendars of major buyers and exporters wanting to source their raw materials here.
“This is the first in 13 years that we have upscaled our provincial fair into a regional marketing event, that we have generated this much number of exhibitors, and there are still those who we could not accommodate,” Director Caberte said.
As in past years, the trade expo has assisted more than a hundred micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This year however, exhibitors have come all the way from CAR, Regions 1, 4A, 4B, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13.
“DTI 7 Regional Director with Undersecretary for Regional Operations Zenaida C. Maglaya and Assistant Secretary Demphna Du Naga, during the opening of exhibits at the Sandugo Trade Expo 2018. (photo by Vierna Ligan)
by admin | Jul 20, 2018 | Tech Talk
For its 7th year, Google Developers Group Cebu (GDG Cebu) is bringing its annual Cebu event, to Dumaguete, Bohol, and Leyte.
Now a Visayas roadshow, I/O Extended will kick off in Cebu this July 21 at the University of San Carlos Talamban Campus. The Dumaguete leg will follow on July 28 at the Siliman University while the Leyte leg will happen on August 4 at the Philippine Science High School respectively.
“With the event’s success in Cebu, we decided to expand to other areas in the Visayas and support local developers there as well,” said Shad Roi dela Cruz, GDG Cebu Community Manager
This year, I/O Extended is focused on giving attendees a quality learning experience and helping them meet and network with fellow tech enthusiasts and developers. Google Developer Experts in South East Asia and top developers in Cebu will be sharing their insights, knowledge and skills.
Topics include the latest in Google Technology specifically on Actions on Google, Firebase, Machine Learning, Web Design and Development, and Android.
I/O Extended 2017 was the biggest in the country, gathering a thousand developers. “Our GDG events have grown together with the community through the years. Last year’s I/O Extended set the record as the biggest,” said Frances Marie Teves, GDG Cebu Communications Manager
The I/O Extended Visayas Roadshow is sponsored by Google. The official venue partners are the University of San Carlos Talamban in cooperation with the USC Supreme Student Council, Siliman University Dumaguete, and Philippine Science High School Tacloban. The official media partners are Cebu Daily News and Halo-Halo Radio, and PR Partner, PR Works.
Tickets are limited. To register and to secure a seat, visit https://ioxcebu18.gdgcebu.org. For more information about I/O Extended Visayas 2018 and GDG Cebu, follow them on Facebook @gdgcebuorg and join their Meetup group @GDGCebu.
by admin | Jul 11, 2018 | National News, Photo Story
DTI mainstreams MSME products. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez briefs President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on the products of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during the National MSME Summit at Clark, Pampanga on 10 July 2018. Sec. Lopez shared to the President DTI’s interventions on product development and design assistance to prepare MSMEs in entering mainstream market. These products are now featured in 56 Go Lokal! stores nationwide. DTI has been in the forefront in promoting modern, creative, and 100% Filipino-made products since the beginning of the President’s term. “DTI’s holistic approach to assist our MSMEs ensures that their products and services reach everyday the mainstream market, inside establishments with the high foot traffic,” said the trade chief. Products of over 364 MSMEs suppliers are given exposure daily through this concept store. Also at the event were Former President and Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, Presidential Adviser Joey Concepcion and Congressman Peter Unabia.
by admin | Jul 10, 2018 | National News
One of the highlights during the US-ABC SME Workshop held at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) held on June 27, 2018 was the formal turnover to PTTC as the first country administrator of the ASEAN SME ACADEMY. The ceremonial turnover led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and the United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim as part of the celebration of the International SME Day encourages MSMEs to engage in an online training platform to digitize business in the country.
The DTI Secretary emphasized the importance of empowering MSMEs and increased connectivity through digitalization to build capacity and engender innovation by connecting to overseas market, compete worldwide, and be connected to regional and global value chains.
“We already have mentoring programs; we just need to take them online so they can train more MSMEs. We want to give them access to mentoring 24/7,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.
PTTC as the Academy’s new administrator is committed to provide the best training support to the Philippines’ MSMEs and to the ASEAN SME community through networks of supportive partners in the Philippines’ NEGOSYO Centers; expanding its best practices to the rest of the ASEAN regions.
PTTC Executive Director Nestor P. Palabyab said “Everybody here attending today’s event is either a provider of learning, a learner or both. The PTTC as the home of the ASEAN SME Academy is building a community where everyone may contribute to enable more capable SMEs to meet the challenge of the ever changing, complex and more competitive environment.”
The DTI and PTTC are optimistic that the Academy is in a greater position to uplift and advance the capacity of MSMEs to become smarter entrepreneurs with the ability to compete.
Also present to witness the turnover were the distinguished guests Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Alegria S. Limjoco, Philippines Senior Representative of the US-ABC Elizabeth Magsaysay-Crĕbassa, General Manager of Cisco Systems Singapore & Philippines Mr. Surendran Vangadasalma.
There was a livestreaming of the entire activity to selected DTI regional offices and Negosyo Centers. The same is available for viewing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmpGCSyyrgY.
In the above photo: Ceremonial handover of the ASEAN SME ACADEMY book, “Lessons from the ASEAN SME Academy,” from United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim to DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez. In photo are PTTC Executive Director Nestor P. Palabyab (6th from the left), Philippines Senior Representative of the US-ABC Elizabeth Magsaysay-Crĕbassa (7th from the left), representatives from DTI regions and Negosyo Centers, and ASEAN SME Academy facilitators.
by admin | Jul 9, 2018 | Business, National News, Negosyo Center Updates
The Go Lokal! Stores, a project of the Department of Trade and Industry, is a market access platform for our MSME partners to gain access to the domestic mainstream market and ultimately, to the global export market. It is a showcase of Philippine products crafted, designed and manufactured by the country’s MSMEs.
In collaboration with government agencies and retail partners such as SM Kultura Makati, Rustan’s Makati, Robinson’s Place in Malate, Glorietta 2 of Ayala Mall, CityMalls nationwide, Duty Free Philippines Fiesta Mall and Enchanted Kingdom, Go Lokal! has assisted 315 MSMEs in more than 50 stores nationwide with 10 retail partners, generating sales of over Php30M in the past 16 months. 81 of these suppliers are now in the mainstream market.
Go Lokal! embarks on an exciting project that supports young entrepreneurs made up of makers and artists who turn their love of arts into a money making venture. By providing them creative space, these group of young artists give us their varying interpretations of Philippine culture and their everyday lives. Souvenir items like toys, trinkets, jewelry, and novelty items that have never been seen in the market are just a few of the products in this collection created by these dynamic groups of artists:
Common Room
Common Room is a shop where crafters and artists gather to sell their handmade goods. The Common Room curates a brand new collection of Philippine Souvenirs for Go Lokal! which features the artists’ fun and modern take on what they love about the Philippines, interpreted in toys, trinkets, paper products and fashion accessories.
Among the pieces in the exclusive Go Lokal! souvenir collection are fishball plush toys by Pop Junk Love, embroidered travelers’ patches by Fandom Feels, Philippine landmarks tattoos by Tattooic, Manila Traffic Survivor button pins by Ella Lama, and accessories with Philippine garden flowers by Life After Breakfast.
Team Manila
TeamManila is a graphic design studio that seeks to represent the Philippines in the design community. Taking inspiration and paying homage to the indigenous Filipino tribes, Habi Hiraya features a combination of intricately woven patterns from the Bagobo and Tinguian tribes, and leaf motifs called Uwes. Translated in Memphis design style with a modern TeamManila twist, a play of these elements were used to create a dynamic souvenir line.
In collaboration with established clients, TeamManila is currently working on projects ranging from branding, graphic design, merchandise, packaging, space and web design since 2002. Founded by Joseph ‘Jowee’ Alviar and Raymund ‘Mon’ Punzalan, TeamManila has also established its retail component together with multiple subbrands such as Daily Grind and Design Dept.
The Go Lokal! Souvenir Collection will be launched on July 19, 2018 at 2:00 pm at the Kiss and Fly, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Terminal 3). The Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez will inaugurate the event as Guest of Honor. Invited guests include DTI executives, government officials, airport officials, embassy officials, retail partners and suppliers.
Go Lokal! is also available online at http://golokal.marketa.ph/ and https://www.shopinas.com/go-lokal.
For more information on Go Lokal!, you may visit or call the Go Lokal Concept Store@DTI, Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotions located at the Ground Floor, Trade and Industry Building, 361 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City at telephone nos. 751 3223 and 751 3229. Kindly look for Mabel Cortez and/or Bea Hernandez.
You may also visit the Go Lokal! website at golokal.dti.gov.ph.
by admin | Jul 1, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
RISK REDUCTION and disaster management have become ingrained in the senses of Filipinos – Boholanos included – especially after the Great Bohol Earthquake on Oct. 15, 2013.
This prompted village officials to scout for a vacant area near their respective barangay halls for multipurpose buildings. Rep. Erico Aristotle “Aris” Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has been distributing P750,000 as counterpart funds.
Aumentado assures his constituency that all 349 barangays were allocated shares from funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
He said he is distributing the assistance, not counting if he won of lost in that barangay during the last congressional election. Aftr all, he added, the residents who did not vote form him are still his constituents.
The multipurpose building doubles as evacuation center so that in times of emergency like flooding or typhoons, the public elementary schools can immediately resume classes.
Sessions are usually delayed when the schools are turned into evacuation centers because the families staying there have to gather their things first.
Aumentado adopted the “win or lose” stance in distributing the assistance because, he says, his is a governance of unity, not vindictiveness, and unity, not divisiveness, working towards a common goal.
He opts for equal sharing – not selective, and with impact. This means, he explained, the fund is substantial and not palliative like others who select their recipients of only P5 or P10 million.
by admin | Jun 30, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita, Tech Talk
TAGBILARAN CITY – More than 100 Boholano MSMEs have participated in a digital marketing campaign last June 29, 2018 at Bohol Tropics Resort.
Boost Your Business is a project by Bayan Academy and DTI in partnership with Facebook Philippines that aims to promote the use of social media platforms as a tool for creating an advantage in business.
The event focused on marketing theories that are applicable on creating good quality content, creative visuals, and effective messages on social media. Mr Carlo Sagun , the event trainor, also introduced the different marketing strategies for Facebook and Instagram-two of the leading platforms in the world. A hands-on application of the theories was conducted afterwards using the apps of Facebook Philippines.
Also gracing the one day workshop is the Congressman of the First District of Bohol Hon. Rene Lopez Relampagos as well as DTI Bohol’s very own Jerome John J. Gabin, STIDS who have encouraged the participants to ride on the opportunity of doing business online.
According to Mr Sagun, among the chosen venues,Bohol Province has the largest number of participants so far.
by admin | Jun 25, 2018 | National News
UNIDO lauds DTI’s efforts in pushing inclusive innovation,
initiatives strengthening MSMEs
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez discussed with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Director General Li Yong the 1st UNIDO Country Programme for the Philippines (PH) as well as the technical assistance and support for the Philippine National System of Innovation.
“The partnership between the Philippines and UNIDO will greatly benefit the Filipino people and improve the current state of the country through various technical assistance and support in developmental areas. As the country programme is based on the macroeconomic agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte, it will support the government’s drive to reduce poverty and improve industries through the development of human capital, innovation, and connectivity in the country,” said Sec. Lopez.
The UNIDO Country Programme was crafted in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022. Its framework is based on the country’s national priorities and aims to strengthen collaborations among development cooperation partnerships of the PH government.
DTI has identified priority interventions that will benefit from the support and technical assistance from the partnership with UNIDO. These will focus on promoting innovation, upgrading industries, and facilitating manufacturing resurgence.
During the meeting, the trade chief highlighted PH’s thrust to push for rapid growth in the industry sector through the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (I3S), an industrialization program that will ensure the development of the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as part of the value chains.
“Our plan is to promote productivity, innovation, and inclusivity in industry development. These will allow participation of those at the bottom of the pyramid and solve the poverty situation,” Sec. Lopez added.
Director General Yong commended the programs of the government that reflects the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) strategies. He also lauded PH’s growth rate, the country’s initiatives empowering MSMEs, the drive for job and income generation, as well as the government’s efforts of linking MSMEs to the global value chains.
Meanwhile, Sec. Lopez conveyed the need to include and put emphasis on trade as well as building the manufacturing capacity in the country programme. He expressed that greater human capital, innovation, productivity, and resilience are essential in creating stronger manufacturing and export manufacturing base in the country.
“Our success in achieving our goal to balance trade and create surplus depends on capacity building—both physical capacity and human resources. The technical assistance as well as support in these areas are greatly needed,” said the trade chief.
Sec. Lopez also mentioned the need to address the power cost, which is one of the major challenges, as it affects the competitiveness of companies operating in the PH.
The UNIDO Country Programme aims to address key issues including challenges in investment and ease in doing business, competitiveness, innovation in the industry sector, skills mismatch (labor force vis-à-vis industry needs), availability of data and statistics (industry sector, especially MSME), productivity-enhancing support services, infrastructure (agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector), and vulnerability to climate and disaster risks.
DTI has started exploring cooperation with UNIDO in terms of strengthening the innovation ecosystem for industry and support to private sector innovation. This covers measures to strengthen academe-industry linkages for research and development, commercialization, and financing. It also includes firm-level innovation programs for PH’s priority industries such as electronic manufacturing services, automotive and auto parts, aerospace parts, chemicals, shipbuilding, design-oriented furniture and garments, tool and die, agri-business, information technology and business process management, transport and logistics, tourism, and construction. The institutional strengthening of the Department, government, academe, and industry partnerships was also emphasized.
by admin | Jun 24, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
THREE years after Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) first filed the bill proposing the construction of a bridge to link Bien Unido and Talibon towns in northern Bohol, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has allocated P5 million for its full-blown feasibility study.
During the pre-feasibility study, the team that conducted an ocular inspection of the possible anchor sites for the proposed bridge to link the two towns had identified Barangays San Isidro in Talibon and Nueva Esperanza in Bien Unido. Seawaters surrounding both barangays are observed to be shallow.
Aumentado said while Bien Unido is adjacent to Talibon, one has to travel some 20 kilometers if he has some business or has something to buy in the latter which is the bigger town.
Bien Unido and Talibon are both on the mainland, but they are points on promontories separated by a bay. With the bridge only five kilometers long, travel time will be drastically cut short. As a result, more business, like the transport of goods from one town to the other, can be done in a day.
The solon expressed hope that the feasibility study will turn out good. Once completed, he said this means the cost of goods will go down hence, prices of commodities will reduce. The market linkage will also spur economic development for the two towns.
Then DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson had sent the composite team of engineers and technical personnel from the national and regional offices. But current Sec. Mark Villar had effected the allocation of P5 million for the feasibility study.
A 2015 DPWH estimate had pegged the cost of the bridge at P285 million.
Meanwhile, Aumentado early this week briefed a team from DPWH Bohol and DPWH Leyte on the possible anchors in both provinces for the proposed Leyte-Bohol Bridge. The team conducted an ocular inspection of Ubay and Lapinig Island on the Bohol side and Maasin in Leyte.
by admin | Jun 13, 2018 | National News
The Department of Trade and Industry, as the chair of Doing Business Task Force, is pleased to highlight the reform initiatives undertaken to improve the ease of doing business and level up the Philippines’ global competitiveness ranking.
Key reforms include Quezon City’s Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) which streamlines the process registration process into just three steps: file, pay and claim. With this, applicants can complete the whole procedure in just one (1) hour, as long as all the necessary requirements are complete.
Further, applicants do not need to move from different offices which were located in different floors/areas to obtain licenses and permits or make payments on locational clearance and fire safety inspection since the city’s Zoning Administrator and the Bureau of Fire Protection are situated in one location, making it possible to simultaneously evaluate applications for these permits.
Another reform is Securities and Exchange Commission’s Company Registration System which allows the online verification of proposed company name and submission of application for SEC registration and documentary requirements. It also gives the user an option to pay the SEC fees online through the LandBank ePayment.
“These reforms contribute to improved process of obtaining business and other related permits. Before it was tedious, burdensome, took much time, and people needed to comply to drastic amounts of requirements. With the old setup, people would be discouraged to start a business. But now, it’s different. It is more efficient, streamlined, and more customer-friendly. I believe that this could attract more business to invest in our country, and this will lead to more job generation for our fellow men.” DTI Secretary and Doing Business Task Force Chair Ramon Lopez said.
In addition to the reforms stated above, the government recently enacted the Ease of Doing Business Efficient Government Service Delivery Act (EODB-EGSDA) of 2018. The said Act serves as the game-changer in our endeavor to ease doing business in the country.
Important provisions of EODB law include the institutionalization of the prescribed steps and processing time for transactions like issuance of local business licenses, clearances, and permits and mandating the use of the unified business application form, which consolidates all the information of the applicant or request party, in processing new application or business permits and business renewals by various local government departments.
“Improving access to economic opportunities will require us to listen to our customers – the people and investors. We should not burden them with bureaucratic red tape.” Lopez added.
