Golda Kristy T. Grospe | Market Innovation Division | DTI-Export Marketing Bureau
11 April 2018
Published also in Business Mirror
AS part of its continuing efforts to propel domestic enterprises toward competitiveness and sustainability in the global market, the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) has lined up a series of information sessions in various regions of the Philippines this year.
The initiative is designed to advance the know-how of domestic manufacturers and exporters about export trade through plenary discussions facilitated by experts in the field. It also opens opportunities for comprehensive consultation with the resource speakers through one-on-one coaching.
Recently, the DTI-EMB collaborated with the DTI Region 4A for the conduct of the Philippine Export Competitiveness Program (PECP) and Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) information session in Calabarzon. Held in Tagaytay City, it was attended by more than 100 participants, mostly composed of existing exporters and potential exporters from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
During the session, DTI-EMB Assistant Director Agnes Perpetua R. Legaspi discussed the benefits of the free-trade agreements and urged exporters shipping to economies where the Philippines has signed an FTA to avail themselves of these benefits and maximize its utilization. She said that, with these agreements, duties and other regulations of commerce are eliminated on substantially all the trade between partner countries. She added the Philippines engages in FTA to maintain competitiveness, promote cross-border complementation, sustain inflow of investments and benefit consumers.
Gina G. Yap, senior trade industry development specialist of the EMB’s Market Innovation Division, familiarized participants with the rudiments of doing business in the United States and Canada. Her presentation coincided with the preparations being carried out by the DTI 4A in line with its involvement in “Fiesta in America” in New Jersey and the fifth Annual Coconut Festival and Marketplace in Toronto, both slated in August 2018.
Meanwhile, John Derrick Anchinges, Trade Industry Development Analyst of the EMB’s Export Assistance and Business Matching Division (EABMD), discussed the Client Profile Registration System in relation to export procedures.
Vic Soriano, chief of EMB’s Knowledge Processing Division (KPD) presented Tradeline Philippines, the Bureau’s business-intelligence platform that aims to deliver timely and relevant information and assistance to existing and potential exporters to enhance their capabilities and competitiveness as suppliers of quality goods and services to global markets. He urged the exporters, to take advantage of the free registration to Tradeline Philippines’s online business- matching system, accessible via businessmatching.dti.gov.ph, to expand their opportunities in finding foreign buyers.
DTI 4A Assistant Director Marcelina S. Alcantara expressed her full support and appreciation for the conduct of the information session in Calabarzon.
“We want to help Calabarzon exporters and potential exporters to become more competitive by providing them valuable information on productivity, innovation and updates on export trends. Moreover, we want to help in sustaining the export growth,” she said.
The DTI-EMB is set to organize within the year more export-related information sessions in other key areas of the country, as it adapts a more purposive and regional approach in adhering to its mission to champion export growth through strategic promotions founded on a comprehensive base of knowledge.