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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is embarking on a two-pronged approach to boost the country’s export.

First is the drafting of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2013 which is targeted for Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III's approval this year.

Second is the massive information campaign on the opportunities and benefits of utilizing the benefits of the free trade agreement (FTAs) that the country has entered into.

The PEDP is now on its second draft with the export sector gathering the export road map of the various industry sectors.

“The feedback we gathered from the multi-sectoral consultations show that we need a more strategic approach in our export development plan,” DTI Undersecretary for International Trade Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. said.

“With the new PEDP, the export sector should focus moving up the value chain and present more competitive products and aim for bolder goals.”

Consultation meetings with various export sectors are now ongoing at the department to validate and revise the draft PEDP.

Cristobal added: “With investor confidence returning to the Philippines, the export sector should aim for challenging targets in the next three years.”

The government and the private sector are hopeful that a final draft be finished and signed by President Aquino III before the year ends.

On FTAs, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the export market is not fully utilized because businessmen are not properly informed of the abounding business opportunities that the country has gained because of many free trade agreements that the country has entered into.

Information to market access and the products with zero tariffs will enlighten our businessmen to engage or expand their business that is skewed to viable export products and FTA markets, the trade chief said.

Presently, there are six FTAs that the country has entered into. These are the Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), ASEAN Free Trade Agreement Area (AFTA), ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Korea, and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand.

In relation to this, Domingo has instructed its DTI International Trade Group (ITG) to conduct a massive information campaign on all free trade agreements to increase their utilization rate and enable Philippine businesses to partake of their benefits.

Cristobal reported that the first wave of info sessions, dubbed as “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas", will cover 12 key cities and will run from November 5 – December 7.

Discussions will focus on export opportunities and center on products with zero or reduced tariffs as a result of the FTAs, Cristobal said.

“Each market and FTA discussion would include a testimonial by an exporter who was able to avail of FTA benefits.”

Cristobal said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will present a simplified, step by step procedure on how exporters should apply for a Certificate of Origin (CO) which may be necessary in the availment of the FTA preferential tariff.

Help Desk from DTI, BOC and the Tariff Commission will be set up after the information session to answer specific queries. BOC and TC Desk have facsimile copies of the different CO forms and questions on procedures and tariff rates. DTI’s Bureau of Export Trade Promotion and the Bureau of International Trade Relation desk will answer questions on export assistance as well as tariff rates for products under FTYAs.

The first session is scheduled in Manila on November 5 with an estimated 500 attendees comprised of exporters from the National Capital Region and Region 4B, importers, brokers, representative from FTA partners, business support groups civil society and other government agencies.

Outside Metro Manila, the venues are: Laguna (Nov. , Clark, Pampanga (Nov. 10), Iloilo (Nov. 12), Cebu City (Nov. 29), Zamboanga City (Nov. 19), Cagayan de Oro City (Nov. 22, General Santos City (Nov. 25), Legaspi City (Nov. 26), Tagaytay City (Nov. 29) and Baguio (December 7)

Cristobal added next year, the second wave info session on FTA will be more industry specific.

“We expect export growth next year when businessmen tap the export potential of our FTA deals,” Cristobal said. “The export market is promising with the rebound of our products in overseas sales. We expect our sales to further increase next year. Data on month to month sales are very encouraging.”

It will be a waste of time if all the hardships of our negotiating team of the export sector will not avail of these opportunities, Cristobal added.

Cristobal concluded that “business confidence is at its highest and combining that with the whopping 70 percent satisfaction rating of the President with the population, businessmen will not hesitate to put their bets on the economy and its exports. We see a bright export performance ahead.” (PNA)

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