OUR BEGINNINGS

The DTI had its beginnings on 23 June 1898 when President Emilio F. Aguinaldo formed four government agencies, namely the Departments of Navy, Commerce, Agriculture, and Manufacturing.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

The Philippine Commission established the Department of Commerce (and Police). After World War II, President Manuel A. Roxas issued Executive Order (EO) 94 on 04 October 1947, creating the Department of Commerce and Industry (DCI). Cornelio Balmaceda, a much sought-after Economics Professor and Bureau of Commerce (BOC) Director, was appointed Acting Secretary of the newly created Department of Commerce and Industry. Prior to EO 94, the Bureau of Commerce was tasked to develop and promote the trade and industry of the country under the overall supervision of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce (Act 4007 on 05 December 1932 by the Philippine Legislature.

AFTER 25 YEARS

DCI had grown into a big organization with 10 regular bureaus and 22 agencies under its direct supervision. The DCI was mandated to promote, develop, expand, regulate, and control foreign and domestic trade, industry, and tourism.

DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY

To have closer supervision and ensure more effective delivery of services, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree (PD) 189 on 11 May 1973, creating the Department of Tourism to handle all tourism-related matters. A year later, 21 June 1974, Marcos issued PD 488 creating the Department of Industry whose principal function was to promote and enhance the growth of the existing and thriving industries in the country.

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE

On 02 June 1975, the Department of Trade was created under PD 721 to pursue efforts of the government toward strengthening socio-economic development of the country, particularly in the area of commercial activities. A key strategy of the new department was vigorous export promotion to generate much needed foreign exchange (forex). A Bureau of Foreign Trade was also established to push for domestic trade and marketing programs.

MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

In the early 80s, the national economic development goal of the Marcos government required the need to hew industrial promotion efforts with the expansion of Philippine trade overseas. This resulted in the creation on 27 July 1981 of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which took over the functions of the subsequently abolished Departments of Trade and of Industry.

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Drastic changes followed after the People Power Revolution. President Corazon C. Aquino signed on 27 February 1987 EO 133, reorganizing the Ministry of Trade and Industry and renaming it the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

DTI’S OFFICIAL ANNIVERSARY

In 2006, Secretary Peter B. Favila issued a Department Order officially declaring every 27 July of each year, the date and month the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Industry was first merged, as the DTI anniversary.

DTI GOES ONLINE

As the Department aims to reach more of its stakeholders, the Department launched its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages which contains relevant information regarding the services that DTI offers.

STREAMLING OF BUSINESS REGISTRATIONS

In a step to improve the ease of doing business and pursuant to the Republic Act No. 9845 otherwise known as the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA), DTI localized the business registration process making it more efficient, effective, and easily accessible for local enterprises. LGUs and other government agencies were enjoined to align their business permits licensing system with the joint memorandum circular entitled “Guidelines in Implementing the Nationwide Upscaling of Reforms in Processing Business Permits and Licenses in All Cities and Municipalities in the Philippines”.

PERFORMANCE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM AND THE GOLD GOVERNANCE TRAILBLAZER SEAL

In 2011, DTI adapted the Performance Governance System (PGS), as a response to the increasing demands of its stakeholders. The PGS is a performance management and measurement tool based on Harvard Business School’s Balanced Scorecard.

It is also during this year when DTI received the Gold Governance Trailblazer Seal conferred by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia recognizing the Department as a global model for public transformation and sustainability.

MOST SINCERE GOVERNMENT AGENCY

DTI ranked the third as the Most Sincere Government Agency based on the SWS Survey of Enterprises on Corruption conducted among business executives.

INDUSTRY ROADMAPPING PROJECT

To forge strategic partnerships with industry stakeholders, particularly, the private sector, DTI-BOI crafted the Industry Roadmapping Project which contained the Department’s vision, goals/targets and strategies for various industries.

ESTABLISHMENT OF DTI-NEGOSYO CENTERS

In line with the passing of the Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo act which aims to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Department launched the DTI-Negosyo Centers nationwide. The presence of Negosyo Centers in municipalities and provinces provided financial assistance, management guidance, and facilitate marketing access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.

PHILIPPINE QUILL AWARDEE

The country’s most prestigious awards program in the field of business communication, the Philippine Quill Awards, has bestowed its seal of approval to DTI for utilizing effective corporate communication in conveying the core messages of the Department’s programs and for its use of various media channels to communicate to its key audiences.

CONSUMER CARE and 1-DTI

Committed to the safety and protection of the consumer public, Secretary Ramon M. Lopez facilitated on 09 August 2018 the establishment of the DTI Consumer Corner and the 1-DTI (1-384) hotline which attends to important consumer concerns regarding consumer rights and responsibilities.