Category Archives: Latest News

Expansion of PH Trade and Investment expected upon RCEP full implementation by June 2

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual announced that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact among 15 economies in the Asia Pacific region is to take effect on 02 June 2023. The full implementation of RCEP will help expand the trade and investment to all signatory countries within 20 years, including eliminating tariff rates — or the taxes imposed on imported products — on 90% of goods.
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DOT prides on five-year plan for PH Tourism transformation to be Asia’s tourism powerhouse

Department of Tourism (DOT) OIC Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning, Verna Covar-Buensuceso presented the DOT’s future plans including the completion of the National Tourism Development Plan (NDTP) 2023-2028 which envisions to transform the Philippines Tourism into a tourism powerhouse in Asia.
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COMELEC and ARTA partners toward streamlining processes during COMELEC Gun Ban

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Philippine National Police-Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO), Landbank, and the Semiconductor industry, will create a Technical Working Group (TWG) to streamline and harmonize PNP processes on the application of the Certificate of Authority to Transport (CA-TT).  Continue reading COMELEC and ARTA partners toward streamlining processes during COMELEC Gun Ban

BOC and BPI collaborate on ASEAN e-Phyto Certificate

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) collaborate on the Electronic Phytosanitary (e-Phyto) Certificate system with Indonesia and Thailand. This program reinforces BOC’s modernization and digitalization efforts, specifically for issuing and verifying phytosanitary certificates in agricultural products throughout the region. BOC and BPI agreed to join the pilot e-Phyto exchange with Indonesia and Thailand  starting June 2023. Continue reading BOC and BPI collaborate on ASEAN e-Phyto Certificate

PH hosted the first International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM)

The Philippines hosted the first International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM), that brings together individuals, experts, organizations, ecotourism practitioners, advocates and exhibitors to learn and network across cultures and showcase products and services that have strong economic components, green technology, and sustainable green practices.
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BOC and ARISE+PH: AEO Program addresses Security Measures with Mutual Recognition

To boost export competitiveness of Philippine products, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) together with ARISE+ PH advocates for the nationwide information campaign on the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) Program.  Several countries, including Indonesia, Moldova, and the EU, shared their learnings and experiences on the AEO Program during the workshop.

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RCEP ratification foresees massive export and import growth

The Senate concurred voting 20-1-1 on the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by far among Asia-Pacific nations, on 21 February 2023.  The RCEP is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that aims to establish a modern, comprehensive, high-quality, and mutually beneficial economic partnership framework to liberalize and facilitate trade in goods and services. It will also create a liberal, facilitative, and competitive regional investment. Economists supported this, particularly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, who is optimistic that this FTA will fuel the Philippines’ economic growth.
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BIR mandated to handle DOF OSS on tax credit and duty drawback 

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on his administration’s policy in right sizing bureaucracy, and on the recommendation of Sec. Benjamin Diokno ordered the abolishment of the DOF (Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center) OSS Center) and transfers the mandate to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC), to assure the orderly and expeditious processing of tax credits and duty drawbacks under various laws.  Continue reading BIR mandated to handle DOF OSS on tax credit and duty drawback 

BSP expects 6% GDP growth by the end of the year

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Dr. Felipe M. Medalla reported in depth the topic “In Pursuit of Price Stability Challenges and Opportunities,” highlighting that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to increase up to 6% amidst pent-up demand together with the target range of easing the inflation within the two to four percent by the end of the year 2023.

During his speech at the 2023 Philippine Economic Briefing, Gov. Medalla mentioned that the pent-up demand continues to drive growth amidst tighter monetary policy. However, he remains confident that the BSP will hit the target to reduce the inflation back to within the two to four percent target range by November or December despite the inflation of 8.7 percent in January. Continue reading BSP expects 6% GDP growth by the end of the year