MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday welcomed the annual World Trade Statistical Review of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which identified the Philippines as third among all exporters of manufacturing services on physical inputs in 2017.
Citing the report, Roque said the Philippines ranked third among all exporters of manufacturing services on physical inputs with a total amount of USD2.767 billion, compared to 2016’s USD2.725 billion.
Roque also said exports from other commercial services reached a total amount of USD23.5 billion, placing the country on the 13th spot.
He explained that in the same report, the country placed 44th in the merchandise exports with a total amount of USD63 billion, higher compared to the USD56 billion in 2016, he added.
Likewise, the country is on 33rd spot in commercial services exports with USD36 billion in 2017, higher than the previous year’s USD31 billion, he added.
Iloilo irrigation project
Roque, meanwhile, lauded the start of construction of Iloilo’s biggest irrigation project, the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II (JRMP II), which has been delayed for around 15 years.
“According to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II (JRMP II), situated in Calinog, Iloilo, is expected to break its ground in October of this year,” Roque said.
He pointed out that 24,000 farmers and their families will benefit from the irrigation project, which will provide a year-round irrigation water delivery to 9,500 hectares of new irrigable area.
It will also provide rehabilitation of 21,624 hectares covered by five existing irrigation systems in 23 municipalities and two cities in the province of Iloilo. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
