The Department of Agriculture (DA) issued Special Order No. 189, s. 2020, assigning regular personnel of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at the One Stop Export Documentation Center (OSEDC) in Pasay City. Job Order (JO) personnel will also be retained to ensure continuity of service in BFAR-OSEDC.During the Export Development Council (EDC) meeting last 06 February 2020, BFAR informed that the pullout of its JO personnel assigned at the OSEDC is postponed until June 2020. However, the Council argued that the presence of regular BFAR personnel in OSEDC is important to ensure timely issuance of export commodity clearances (ECCs). Data shows that 300 to 400 ECCs are issued every day to exporters of fish and fishery products including shell crafts and ornamental shells. DA Secretary William Dar concurred and instructed BFAR to immediately prepare a Special Order assigning regular personnel and retaining JO personnel in OSEDC.

OSEDC was established through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), PHILEXPORT and other government agencies involved in export including BFAR. The OSEDC promotes ease of doing business by bringing together under one roof different government agencies involved in export processing. –MDGTD