TAGUIG CITY—On 3 March 2023, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) hosted TANYAG: An evening with international partners at Shari-La The Fort, Taguig City. TANYAG has brought together President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Trade and Industry Secretary Fred Pascual, the country’s trade diplomatic partners, respected legislators, public and private sector partners, and other stakeholders in support of CITEM’s export promotion initiatives.
CITEM is the export promotion arm of the DTI committed to develop, nurture, and promote globally-competitive small and medium enterprises, exporters, designers, and manufactures by implementing the integrated approach to export marketing in close partnership with other government and private entities.
In his message, Trade and Industry Secretary Fred Pascual said that “DTI is devoted to creating an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient industrial policy, which contributes to building a competitive economy. This includes nurturing MSMEs to develop world-class products and giving them a spotlight on the international market.”
CITEM’s current policy thrust is in line with DTI’s new strategic direction, which is to transform the Philippine export sector. Transforming it, however, requires pursuing industry development, which includes addressing constraints to both scale and scope of production. It also means adding value to our exports in the global market and making it more sustainable and reliable.
“Industry development requires a shift in our mindset, from simply promoting existing profitable products and services to promoting and highlighting our capabilities. Industry development is the best way to deliver exporting breakthroughs. We will need to act faster to gain a bigger share of the opportunities in the global market”, added Secretary Pascual.
Amid the challenges faced by the country’s export sector due to the COVID-19, CITEM has also successfully pivoted to the digital space during the pandemic and even expanded its presence through online platforms, which also coincides with DTI’s strategic priorities under the leadership of Secretary Pascual—digitalization.
For this year, CITEM is set to hold various initiatives to promote the country’s exports and Filipino products in the global market such as FAME+, IFEXConnect, CREATEPhilippines, Sustainability Solutions Exchange, and Manila Fame, among others.
In closing, Secretary Pascual vowed to continue, and even strengthen export promotion activities in collaboration with CITEM. He also emphasized that the Department will leverage on existing structure and networks to widen the market reach of Filipino products and will also provide them with the necessary assistance to increase the quality of their products, enabling them to compete in the global market.*
Date of release: 04 March 2023