NDC CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL YEAR

The National Development Company (NDC) had a modest celebration of its centennial year which was held at the PICC with its Chairman, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, as the guest of honor.

The occasion was a gathering of luminaries with the presence of former NDC Chairpersons, Ambassador Lilia Bautista, Jesli Lapuz and Adrian Cristobal. Likewise, present were former General Managers, Arthur Aguilar, Jose Mari Trenas, Samie Lim and Ofelia Bulaong together with partners from the government and the private sector.

The affair was an opportunity for NDC to showcase its evolution from 1919 to 2019, from its first subsidiary, the Cebu Portland Cement Company incorporated in 1921 to its most recent investment in Rizal Mini Hydro Power Project.

The DTI Secretary cited NDC’s rich history and commended the company for its contribution to the current economic progress that the country is experiencing now.

Through its 100 years of existence, NDC took the role of a catalyst in the country’s economic development, undertaking diverse projects, from inception, to nurturing, to privatization. These include industrial projects in the form of the National Steel Corporation, Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation, Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corporation, agricultural plantations through the NDC-Guthrie Plantations, Inc. and NDC-Guthrie Estates, Inc., transport with the Philippine Airlines, National Shipping Corporation and ocean-going vessels.

Likewise, NDC was the Philippine corporate representative in the Asean Joint Venture Projects in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

After focusing on privatization during the Aquino administration, NDC reverted on its cycle of investments with the likes of the very successful First Cavite Industrial Estate, Inc., Manila Exposition Complex, Inc., Science Park of the Philippines, Inc., San Carlos Bio-ethanol, Inc., Philippine Mining Development Corporation, Philippine Pharma Procurement, Inc., NDC Philippine Infrastructure Corporation, Alabang-Sto. Tomas Development, Inc.

As NDC journeys through its bicentennial year, its developmental perspective is geared towards high impact projects where it would act as an enabler to new technology-incubation, global competitiveness endeavors, renewable energy generation, addressing supply chain gaps, micro, small and medium enterprises and urban/rural development, providing support to local economies.

Its projects in the pipeline include the Multi-purpose Gamma Irradiation Facility, the expansion of the World Trade Center Metro Manila, the Davao Food Complex in Toril, Davao, the NDC Industrial Estate in Dasmarinas, Cavite, the solar hybrid system project initially targeted to be located in Palawan and the venture fund for start-ups.

NDC is, likewise, working in parallel with and is supportive of the investment priority plans of the Department of Trade and Industry, specifically in the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone.

The company has and will continue to champion socio-economic programs through projects in greenfield areas generating employment and raising income towards the upliftment of the dignity of the Filipinos.

Realizing the need for a definitive identity and to embrace a sense of corporate branding, the celebration was capped with the release of the new NDC Logo and the NDC Corporate Hymn.

DTI Implements Online Services for Product Certification, ICC Sticker Verification

To facilitate ease of doing business through streamlining and automation of frontline service transactions, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has started to process product certifications under the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) through an online portal. The Product Certification Information Management System (PCIMS) features an end-to-end online and paperless processing of Import Commodity Clearance (ICC), Philippine Standard (PS) Safety and Quality Certification Mark License. It also provides an inventory management for Security Papers and ICC Stickers.

“DTI has made it easy for entrepreneurs and the business community to process certifications and avail of frontline services in the comforts of your home or anywhere. No need to be present at any DTI office,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez.

“However, we want to assure you that this does not end here. This will be a continuing process of reform and automation. We will continue to review and streamline processes in BPS as well as in other bureaus. The ultimate ease of doing business is enabling people to do things and all transactions online,” he added.

BPS started implementing the use of PCIMS in its ICC processing in October 2018 parallel to the manual processing of ICC applications. By January 2019, PCIMS was fully implemented and BPS ceased its manual applications for ICC processing.

The PCIMS has the following features: 1) online and paperless filing of applications; 2) certification fees can be paid at any DTI office; 3) first-in, first-out processing; 4) real-time tracking of application status; 4) auto email of Statement of Account, Notice of Non-conformance, Show Cause Orders; 5) Certificates may be claimed at any DTI Office; and 6) auto reminder of surveillance schedules and PS license expiration.

To access the PCIMS, a registration form may be requested through email at bps.scd@dti.gov.ph. Application of product certification may be accessed through www.qualityproducts.dti.gov.ph.

“Businesses will definitely benefit with this shift to online transactions. Apart from the convenience and less time spent on application, it is also cost efficient. We’ve estimated about Php 3,600 in savings per application, from Php 4,170 spent per application down to Php 557. That’s big savings for businesses,” shared Sec. Lopez.

Likewise, DTI is shifting its ICC sticker verification through a mobile application to assist DTI market enforcers and monitors during market enforcement activities, as well as consumers in verifying a certified product.

This digital method using any smartphone will detect the fake ones from the real ICC and PS stickers.

The mobile application will be able to confirm legitimate ICC stickers in products sold in the market through the QR code accompanying each sticker. BPS started issuing ICC stickers with QR codes in July 2018.

Currently, the ICC Verification System is on its pilot testing and can be fully used by 24 April 2019. It will be available for download at Google Play Store on the same date.