ARISE Plus Philippines launched the business guidebook aimed to help improve the Philippines’ access to the European Union (EU) market and utilize the EU Generalized Systems of Preferences (EU -GSP+) scheme.

The guidebook provides technical and regulatory requirements to be completed within the Philippines to export to the EU, and measures to meet to cross the EU border.

Under the EU GSP+ scheme, the Philippines enjoys duty-free access for products across around 66% of all EU tariff lines. Among the top GSP+ exports of the country are agricultural goods like coconut oil, tuna, and pineapples as well as electronic goods like vacuum cleaners and pneumatic tires.The Philippines and the EU share a total of EUR 18.4 Billion in bilateral trade in goods. Continue reading → ARISE PH launch Guidebook on Exporting to EU

The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) linked strong partnerships with the government towards economic growth.  Mr. Sabin Aboitiz – PSAC Lead Convenor and President and CEO of Aboitiz Group, laid out the country’s economic policy directions with the government. The PSAC focuses on six sectors, mainly on 1) Digitalization, 2) Basic Infrastructure, 3) Agriculture, 4) Healthcare, 5) Tourism, and 6) Jobs.

Mr. Aboitiz highlighted the advocacies envisioned under the Basic Infrastructure sector, i.e., streamlined processing of permits for telcos, the launch of the GoDigital Pilipinas (GDP), amendment on the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law, the creation of the Department of Water and the privatization of the operation and maintenance of airports. And for the Healthcare sector, PSAC aims for Philhealth’s digitalization, the ladderized program for nurses, the fully digitized FDA, and encouraged green lanes.  Continue reading → PSAC linked partnership with government towards economic growth 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM), in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), vows to promote streamlined processes in the Bureau of Customs (BOC). Exporters may look forward to a modernized customs administration with global standards during his administration.

BOC started the works and officially launched the Philippine Customs Modernization Program, reducing manual encoding and paper-based processes into complete computerized customs systems on 26 March 2021.  This modernization aims to streamline operations and processes by upgrading its systems, procedures, and operational activities. For more information, visit https://customs.gov.ph/philippine-customs-modernization-program/.  Continue reading → PBBM vows to streamline further the BOC processes

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has expanded QR Ph, the country’s QR code standard, to enable person-to-merchant (P2M) payments to boost the digitalization of small businesses. The use of QR codes for payments has been gaining traction as an alternative to cash or traditional debit and credit card payments. In November 2019, the payment industry participants led by the Philippine Payments Management, Inc. (PPMI), under the guidance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), launched the “QR Ph”, as the National QR Code standard.

QR Ph introduces a standard that would eliminate the need to display numerous QR codes in establishments and to purchase expensive electronic data capture systems. Because of the facility’s interoperability, consumers only need to have one QR code and businesses can use a single system to scan and process payments. The recently launched QR PH P2M payment facility allows buyers to pay even small value transactions such as jeepney or tricycle fares and payments of goods and services to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at no cost to the buyer. On an exporter’s end, the said program is beneficial as it is both tailored for convenience and security in dealing with their regular transactions. Given the information on the recurring digital payment transactions of both their retail individual and business customers, exporters are now provided data that would help them build financial profiles of their target client base through which they can design customer-centric financial services that are tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.

For more information, please visit www.bworldonline.com.DAC

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) appoints the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI) as the National Issuing and Guaranteeing Association (NIGA) for the ATA Carnet implementation in the country. PCCI will be the issuer of temporary admission papers, also known as merchandise passports, which allow temporary admission of goods, duties and tax-free for one year (maximum) within and among the ATA Carnet member countries and territories. Continue reading → BOC appoints PCCI as the ATA Carnet issuer in the Philippines

The Department of Trade of Industry (DTI) is gearing up digital transformation regarding the formulation and implementation of the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3s) for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the country. While MSME’s contribution to the Philippine economy is impressive, they were also the hardest hit during the pandemic as many businesses had been forced to close down. Nevertheless, one silver lining in this crisis is the Digital Transformation that we are experiencing now.  Continue reading → DTI gears up digital transformation for MSMEs