The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 4-A, in partnership with the DTI Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) and in coordination with the Export Development Council (EDC), conducted the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022 Stakeholders Engagement on 31 August 2018 at the Crimson Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

 

The PEDP 2018-2022 will implement export strategies and programs to boost export performance and achieve the export target of $122 -$130 billion by the end of the term. Programs and projects under the Plan will be jointly implemented by the government, exporters, and other concerned sectors.

 

As per Memorandum Circular No. 27, the Department of Trade and Industry is responsible for monitoring and implementing the strategies to attain external trade targets, particularly exports of goods and services; lead in export development and promotion through internalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); continue to promote competitiveness and ease of doing business in order to promote expansion of existing businesses; attract domestic and foreign direct investment; ensure market access; and intensify market intelligence.

 

The Stakeholders Engagement served as a venue to ensure an efficient, responsive, and well-coordinated strategies among the concerned government agencies and entities that are directed to collectively work, review, institute reforms, and implement all relevant policies in harmony with the PEDP, MSME Development Plan, and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) to boost export growth.

 

During the second part of the program, the participants were divided into groups and underwent a workshop to improve overall climate for export development, exploit existing and prospective opportunities from trading arrangements, and design comprehensive packages of support for selected products and services sectors.

 

According to Export Development Council Deputy Executive Director Emmarita Z. Mijares as per reported by the PSA, the CALABARZON Region’s top export products in 2017 were component/devices, electronic data processing, machinery and transport equipment, metal components, woodcrafts and furniture, ignition wiring sets, and chemicals among others, generating $22.9 billion.

 

“As one of the biggest contributors in the Philippines for export, CALABARZON should continue to thrive by engaging more MSMEs to think global. The world is our market, so I would like to encourage our MSMEs to take advantage of it,” said DTI CALABARZON Director Marilou Q. Toledo.

 

Exporters and CALABARZON partner agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Labor and Employment, National Economic Development Authority, Philippine Statistics Authority, and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined the Engagement.♦