Bamboo Industry Gets Boost from Government and Private Sector

QUEZON CITY - Government and private sector stakeholders converge to support the bamboo industry during the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council meeting (PBDIC) on 6 February.

As Chair of the Bamboo industry council, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez reported that various agencies like the Departments of Agriculture, Environment, Local Government, and Trade are aligning their various programs and connecting the dots in the value chain of the bamboo industry. These programs include from tissue culture, and planting materials developed by DA to plant propagation and greening program of DENR, to processing, product development and design and marketing by DTI.

Several private organizations and advocacy groups will likewise merge their activities into the council’s programs. Moreover, being an agribusiness activity, located at the countryside, Lopez added that these activities are included in the Board of Investments BOI investment priorities plan or IPP that can enjoy incentives. The PBDIC is now also heavily supported by the House Deputy Speaker DV Savellano, being a staunch Bamboo advocate for years.

“The DENR’s National Greening program is targeting to plant 19,000 hectares of bamboo nationwide" said Sec. Lopez.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar also expressed support for this effort in turning bamboo crops into an investment opportunity. Sec. Dar recently approved DTI’s request of including bamboo as a high-value crop. DA encourages farmers to plant high-value crops like mango, banana, coffee, and cacao as they are expected to generate more profit.

"With bamboo as a high-value crop, we can undertake various interventions that include research, processing and value-adding, and budgetary support, complementing the programs and projects of the PBIDC," said Sec. Dar.

Bamboo takes only three years to fully grow as compared to 10 to 20 years for wood trees. The plant can be used as construction materials, as well as furniture and paper-making, among others, providing a good livelihood source for a community.

Sec. Lopez shared that investments are welcome at all stages of the value chain from nurseries to design studios. Both secretaries also promoted the use of modern technology to quickly propagate and process the plant. Secretary Dar meanwhile encouraged the participation of big businesses to partner and help the small farmers, to make the project more competitive and profitable.

PBDIC Vice-Chair and Ilocos Sur Representative Savellano shared that the bills filed are to institutionalize the PBDIC and these are now being discussed at the 18th Congress. He also committed to push the bill at the bicameral hearings.

Senate Bill 524, proposed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, aims to make bamboo a main export product by creating the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Roadmap and the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council to provide the overall policy and program directions, and coordinate the activities of the public and private sectors.

The council will have an official launch to promote the bamboo industry. The campaign will be named 5K: Kawayan, Kalikasan, Kabuhayan, Kaunlaran, Kinabukasan.

DTI Supports ProPak; Strives for Sustainable PH Economy Through Processing and Packaging

Ensuing the success of last year’s trade exposition, ProPak, the premiere processing and packaging trade show in Asia, returned to set up its 2nd edition in the Philippines, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila, Pasay City last February 5.

Organized by Informa Markets, with the support of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Packaging Institute of the Philippines (PIP) and other government and non-government agencies, ProPak Philippines 2020 flaunts more than 400 exhibitors from 30 countries featuring the world-class packaging and processing machines, benefiting a wide range of sectors from food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.

This three-day trade exhibit aims to further boost the capability of local packaging service providers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

DTI has acknowledged the role of good packaging and processing to Philippine MSMEs in enhancing their productivity, marketability, profitability and competitiveness and so introduced various initiatives on product development such as Pak! Pinas, One Town One Product (OTOP) Next Gen, and now the promotion of the ProPak Philippines.

“Many of the MSMEs, food processors, and even non-food, will always be challenged to exhibit their products well and so we are challenged to find solutions – maybe integrate these two sectors, the packaging and the MSMEs. So in 2018, we gave some rounds of packaging gatherings. We created the Pak! Pinas roadshows in Region 4A as well as in Visayas and Mindanao, and it gained success. From that time on, we saw the improvement in the confidence of micro entrepreneurs seeing developments in their products. Then came the ProPak Philippines and we’ve seen some its successes already. We hope that this will continue to get better and better,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez during the ProPak’s launching.

Trade Chief Lopez also urged the ProPak exhibitors to continuously reach out to MSMEs and offer affordable packaging technologies.

Through the Regional Operations Group’s initiative, DTI sent more than 500 MSMEs to ProPak Asia in Bangkok, Thailand in 2018. Last year, the pioneer edition of ProPak Philippines reached to a close of 10,000 trade visitors, and stakeholders.

“DTI vows to continue its support to ProPak as the Department has seen the huge potential of the Philippines in the packaging industry and exploring ways to reach its goal to help the people in this industry through expanding their knowledge, innovating packaging solutions, and connecting with the international network of the industry,” said MSME Advocate Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona.

Furthermore, Secretary Lopez reiterated the significant role of MSMEs in sustaining the economic development of the Philippines, as it continuously contributes to the employment generation as well as the eradication of poverty in the country. Through DTI’s efforts, there are now around 1.5 million registered enterprises in the country.

Gracing the event was also House Committee Chairman in Commerce and Industry Weslie Gatchalian.

ProPak Philippines 2020 runs through February 5-7, 2020.

DTI CHIEF ASKS HI TECH PACKAGING SUPPLIERS TO CATER TO MSMEs

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said access to modern high technology packaging suppliers will help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) level up their productivity and competitiveness. The secretary was a keynote speaker at the Propak Philippines 2020 on 5 February at the World Trade Center. Sec. Lopez urged the exhibitors to reach out to MSMEs and offer affordable packaging solutions. He also said that with the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in some of the products available at ProPak, packaging suppliers bring the necessary innovation and technology that can help MSMEs improve their products, raise their profit, and increase the sector’s contribution to the economy. SMEs should also have easier access to digital transformation for their operations. Through the many DTI initiatives that can help MSMEs, Sec. Lopez hopes to further increase the number of registered enterprises from around 1.5 million today to 2 million in 2021. Also gracing the event was House Committee Chair in Commerce and Industry Weslie Gatchalian, who expressed support for DTI’s push for technology and has lobbied to increase the budget for DTI’s Shared Service Facilities. The packaging and processing trade fair runs until 7 February and features the latest technology from global suppliers.

DTI Suspends PS Licenses of Six Steel Manufacturers

Contrary to the recent statement made by a product standards and quality group that government has failed to take action against retailers and manufacturers of substandard steel, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) suspended the Philippine Standard (PS) licenses of six (6) steel manufacturers in 2019 for failing the independent testing commissioned by the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) from the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC).

These steel manufacturers include Maxima Steel Mills Corp., Henro Steel Corp., Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp. – Meycauayan Bulacan Plant, Cathay Metal Corp., Somico Steel Mill Corporation, and Sagarthama Steel Trading Corporation.

1) Maxima Steel Mills Corp. - Deformed Steel Bar and Equal Leg Angle Bar

2) Henro Steel Corp. - Rerolled Steel Bar

3) Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp. - Meycauayan Bulacan Plant - Deformed Steel Bar

4) Cathay Metal Corp. - Equal Leg Angle Bar

5) Somico Steel Mill Corporation - Rerolled Steel Bar

6) Sagarthama Steel Trading Corporation - Deformed Steel Bar

The suspension order resulted from unannounced surveillance audits conducted by the BPS in 2019 on various steel manufacturing plants in the country. Samples culled from these audits that were subjected to testing by the MIRDC proved that these six steel manufacturers were not compliant with the standards indicated in Philippine National Standard (PNS) 49, Series of 2002. Until these steel manufacturers comply with the PNS, their PS licenses will remain suspended.

In addition to this, the BPS denied the issuance of Import Commodity Clearances (ICC) for deformed steel bars and equal leg angle bars imported by Megawide Construction Corporation, Petron Corporation, and Remington Industrial Sales Corporation, approximately valued at over sixty-eight million pesos (P68,000,000).

The deformed steel bars imported by Megawide Construction Corporation were denied issuance of ICC due to non-compliance with PNS 49:2002 while those imported by Petron Corporation had no proper markings. Remington Industrial Sales Corporation, on the other hand, has no valid PS license for the importation of equal leg angle bars. All these imported steel bars were either destroyed or exported to their country of origin.

It can also be recalled that in September 2019, Wan Chiong Steel Corp. was found to be manufacturing deformed steel bars that are not covered by the scope of their PS license. After due process and filing of formal charge, the DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB) issued a decision last November 2019 for said steel manufacturing company to pay administrative penalty amounting to P450,000.00. Earlier, the same steel manufacturer was suspended for five (5) months for non-compliance with PNS 49.

Similarly, Dragon Asia Rolling Mills was also found to be manufacturing steel that are not covered by the scope of their PS license. Formal charge against the company has been filed by the FTEB and the case is now up for decision.

“For the whole of 2019, the DTI penalized a total of 42 retailers and manufacturers of steel — a clear contrast to the claim of a product safety and quality group that the Department failed to charge violating steel manufacturers and traders for substandard steel products. The DTI stops at nothing in tracking down unscrupulous businesses and ensuring that violators are dealt with to the highest and fullest extent of the law. The protection of consumers is our utmost priority and we remain steadfast in our commitment,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.

Since the beginning of President RodrigoDuterte’s  administration, the DTI has intensified its surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement efforts on all products and services that are under its jurisdiction, especially those included in the mandatory product certification list such as steel.

In conjunction with this effort, the DTI advises the public to remain vigilant when purchasing products, including steel and other construction materials. Always look for the PS or ICC mark to be assured of quality and safety.

For the complete list of products that should bear the PS and ICC marks, please visit the BPS portal at www.bps.gov.ph. To report establishments selling uncertified and non-conforming products, please call the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline or send an email to consumercare@dti.gov.ph.