The Economic Development Cluster, in its meeting last 14 June 2018, strongly supported and endorsed the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022 for approval of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Chair of the Export Development Council (EDC) eyes the approval of the PEDP 2018-2022 soon.

The PEDP 2018-2022 is a five-year roadmap that identifies three strategies and action plans to reach the country’s export targets of US$ 122 Billion in 2022.

The first strategy dwells on the government’s goal of improving the overall climate for export development through removal of unnecessary regulatory impediments, enhancement of trade facilitation, improved access to trade finance and export competitiveness.

The second strategy will exploit existing and prospective opportunities from trading arrangements. DTI has programs that aim to increase awareness on various opportunities offered by free trade agreements that the Philippines currently enjoys. In the new PEDP, the strategy proposed a dedicated program like DTI’s Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) to strengthen promotion efforts to prospective and existing exporters.

Lastly, the plan proposes the crafting of comprehensive packages to promote select products and services for export.

The Export Development Council (EDC), in its meeting last 09 March 2018 approved the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022 through Resolution No. 02, s. 2018 endorsing the PEDP 2018-2022 for the President’s approval.

As part of the process, the PEDP 2018-2022 will be submitted to the Office of the President through the Cabinet Economic Development Cluster.

Sec. 5 of Republic Act No. 7844 or the Export Development Act (EDA) provides that the President of the Republic of the Philippines shall approve the PEDP prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which shall form part of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan, now called the Philippine Development Plan (PDP).

The PEDP 2018-2022 embodies the country’s export thrusts, strategies, programs and projects which are aligned with the PDP 2017-2022 and the 10-point socio economic agenda of the President for enhanced competitiveness and support to SMEs. It shall be jointly implemented by the government and export stakeholders. The Plan aims to increase exports to $122B-$130B in 2022.

Data and analyses in the said Plan were gathered from the EDC Visioning and Strategic Planning and a series of focused group discussions with stakeholders from the government and export sectors in NCR, Cebu City and Davao City in 2017.

By authority of President Rodrigo Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdia issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 27 “Directing all concerned Government Agencies to Strengthen the Implementation of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) and involving other relevant agencies in the development of the export sector”.

Concerned agencies directed to collectively work, review, institute reforms, and implement all relevant policies are: DTI, DA, DOE, DENR, DOH, DOF, DICT, DILG, DPWH, DOTr, DOT, DOLE, DOST, TESDA, CHED, BSP, DFA, and NEDA. The Export Development Council (EDC) shall ensure the biannual validation and updating of the plan and oversee its implementation and coordinate the formulation and implementation of policy reforms and promotion strategies.

To ensure efficient, responsive and well-coordinated strategies, MC No. 27 involved other agencies in the development of the export sector, particularly those that can provide support to Information and Communications Technology (ICT), infrastructure, tourism, and manpower development and skills training.

For further information about the Memorandum Circular No. 27, visit the Official Gazette page at http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph
/2017/10/06/memorandum-circular-no-27-s-2017/ – Piercy Kieth Cezar

Mindanao and Cebu exporters provided inputs to the next Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022

The exporters underscored the need to increase government budget to finance exporters’ participation in international trade fairs and have bigger and more presentable Philippine booths to be at par with exporters of other ASEAN countries.

They also requested to intensify government information dissemination programs to communicate new and repealed regulations to prevent confusion among government officials and exporters regarding export clearances.

They also need information on potential local suppliers. DTI encouraged exporters to always visit the DTI website (http://www.tradelinephilippines.dti.gov.ph/), specifically Tradeline Philippines which contains trade data and a facility to match would-be and existing exporters with potential foreign buyers and local suppliers.

Other recommendations include Filipino product branding, lowering of logistics and power costs, addressing the issue on the overlapping of regulations and automating government transactions.

These inputs were gathered during the recent Focus Group Discussions (FGD) for the PEDP 2018-2022 in Cebu and Davao attended by various sectors from handicraft, shell, agrimarine products, food, banana, cacao, furniture, lifestyle products and activated carbon. The next FGD will be conducted with the services sector specifically IT-BPM, audiovisual, animation, franchising and retailing and tourism and travel-related services. –Asnia R. Bayao

The Depart-ment of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) is crafting the new Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) for 2018-2022.

The PEDP 2018-2022 will be anchored on the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, the 10-point socio economic agenda of the President and the existing PEDP 2015-2017. New export strategies and programs to boost export performance will also be adopted to achieve the export target of $122B-130B by the end of the term.

Essential to the development and crafting of the PEDP is the effective consultation among the stakeholders. Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) commenced last 25 August 2017 in the National Capital Region. The next FGDs will be in Cebu on 27 September 2017 and Davao on 29 September 2017.-Piercy Kieth Cezar

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has transformed its Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) to be the Innovation Council.

One initiative of the Innovation Council is the Small-Medium Enterprise (SME) Support Program that aims to improve their productivity and competitiveness through consultations and trainings.

The Council is also developing a new program for startups. It has called for Proposals for Startups Research Grant. The proposals should be geared towards translating early stage technologies into market ready products to overcome R&D roadblocks, strengthen intellectual property, establish initial market traction and to refine business model.

The Council is also eyeing proposals that will provide funding support to graduate students and faculty members who will conduct research projects directed towards developing emerging technologies and exploring innovations in the areas of materials research, electronics, and applied physics.

For other programs and further details, visit the DOST-PCIEERD website at http://pcieerd.dost.gov.ph/ – Piercy Kieth Cezar

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), in its Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2017-23 mandates the Suspension of Local Government Unit (LGU) Imposition and Collection of Illegal Fees and Taxes.

Guidelines on the said MC is in pursuant to Section 133 (e) of the Local Government Code directing the LGUs to refrain from enforcing any existing ordinance authorizing the levy of fees and taxes on inter-province transport of goods, regulatory fees from passengers in local ports, and other additional taxes, fees or charges in any form upon transporting goods and passengers.The MC issued by the DILG supports the Strategy 2: Remove unnecessary impediments to the free flow of goods and services under the Philippine Export Development Plan 2015-2017.- Piercy Kieth Cezar