CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — The Department of Trade and Industry 4-A (Calabarzon) and various export stakeholders have vowed to increase the country’s exports to meet the target of USD122 billion to USD130 billion by 2022.
“As one of the biggest contributors in the Philippines for export, Calabarzon should continue to thrive by engaging more MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) to think global. The world is our market, so I would like to encourage our MSMEs to take advantage of it,” DTI 4-A Director Marilou Q. Toledo said.
Toledo made the pitch to regional government officials and export stakeholders at the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022 Stakeholders Engagement at the Crimson Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City on August 31.
Mia Angeline V. Cortez, DTI 4-A information officer, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday that their office has spearheaded the event – in partnership with the DTI Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) and Export Development Council (EDC).
Cortez said the participants included regional officials of the departments of agriculture, interior, and labor, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).
She said the programs and projects under the PEDP will jointly be implemented by the government, exporters, and other concerned sectors.
She added that the stakeholders’ engagement served as a venue to ensure efficient, responsive, and well-coordinated strategies among concerned government agencies and entities.
According to Cortez, the DTI, partner agencies and various export stakeholders have committed to implement the export strategies and programs under the PEDP 2018-2022 to boost export performance and achieve the export target of USD122 billion to USD130 billion by the end of the term.
To realize the plans and program, the DTI, concerned government agencies and export stakeholders have committed “to collectively work, review, institute reforms, and implement all relevant policies in harmony with the PEDP, MSME Development Plan, and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) to boost export growth,” she said.
Citing PSA data, Export Development Council Deputy Executive Director Emmarita Z. Mijares said Calabarzon’s top export products in 2017, such as component/devices, electronic data processing, machinery and transport equipment, metal components, woodcraft and furniture, ignition wiring sets, and chemicals among others, generated USD22.9 billion export receipts.
The participants and export stakeholders were also briefed on the DTI mandate and its pursuit of Memorandum Circular No. 27, which tasked the trade and industry department as lead agency responsible for monitoring and implementing the strategies to attain external trade targets, particularly exports of goods and services; and lead in export development and promotion through internalization of small and medium-sized enterprises.
The directive also tasked the DTI to continue to promote competitiveness and ease of doing business to promote expansion of existing businesses; attract domestic and foreign direct investment; ensure market access; and intensify market intelligence.
Cortez said the gathering later engaged participants in a workshop to improve overall climate for export development, exploit existing and prospective opportunities from trading arrangements, and design comprehensive packages of support for selected products and services sectors. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)