DTI-EMB holds seminar on financing to encourage SMEs to venture into export
posted 25 August 2015

To help local exporters stay globally competitive and more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) learn the basics of exporting, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), continues to hold its seminar series under the Philippine Export Competitiveness Program (PECP).

Discussed during the series are topics on export procedures, market and product trends, new and old export policies, SME financing, new packaging technology, and market feature where a specific country?s unique standards and requirements are presented.

?The topics keep our stakeholders updated on the situation of the export industry, and how the EMB can help both exporters and aspiring exporters strengthen their business,? said EMB Director Senen M. Perlada.

Aside from local manufacturers already exporting their products, the seminar series also seeks to encourage producers of local goods learn the basics of exporting and eventually venture into global trade by offering their world-class products to the export market.

?In fact, some of our seminar participants already export to Japan, South Korea, other ASEAN countries, and Europe. They attend the seminar series to stay on top of trends and developments in the export business,? Perlada said.

Resource speakers come from the private sector, including local companies, business groups, local chambers of commerce and industry; and government agencies such as the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), and the Tariff Commission.

The discussions during the seminar series are complemented with presentations on ?The Basics of Exporting: Overview of Export Procedures,? ?The European Union?s Generalized System of Preferences Plus,? and the ASEAN Economic Integration.

Its latest offering last July 30, 2015 discussed ?Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency?s (PhilEXIM) Financing Program for SMEs.? PhilEXIM is a government financial institution (GFI) attached to the Department of Finance (DOF) that helps facilitate international trade by offering financial or other types of support to Philippine enterprises, particularly SMEs, seeking to venture into the export business.

Celso Gutierrez, Senior Vice President of PhilEXIM Revenue Center 4, told the participants that their agency guarantees the payment capability of borrowers as well as the financial stability of lenders and investors, ?up to 90 percent? of the loan obtained.

He said that while PhilEXIM helps facilitate loans from banks and other financial institutions, he advised borrowers ?to keep funds borrowed within the business, not to divert the funds borrowed, avoid penalties from banks because of late payments, and operate above-board to avoid criminal cases.?

He said PhilEXIM aims to help SMEs expand production, produce quality products and create jobs in the community.

?After all, the social aspect of PhilEXIM?s advocacy is to generate employment,? he said.

Aside from exporters and would-be exporters, the PECP also aims to reach freight forwarders, customs brokers, and other export stakeholders as well as local government officials, business groups, and members of the academe.

A major focus of the information sessions is SMEs that form the majority of domestic businesses operating in the country. Latest DTI data showed there are 92,027 small enterprises operating in the country (9.78 percent of total) and 4,095 (0.44 percent), medium enterprises.

The seminar series is held every last Thursday of the month at the EMB?s main office along Gil Puyat Ave. in Makati City and community gatherings in and outside Metro Manila.

The seminar series is also sponsored by the Export Development Council (EDC) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT).