Go Lokal Takes to the Skies with Air Asia Partnership

Go Lokal Takes to the Skies with Air Asia Partnership The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and AirAsia recently made history with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement making Air Asia the first international airline to carry Go Lokal products and showcase the Philippines’ finest local products in both domestic and global flights.

In the photo are Air Asia CEO Ricardo P. Isla and DTI Assistant Secretary Glenn G. Peñaranda. Joining them are Director Marievic M. Bonoan of the DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion and Air Asia Ancillary Manager Pax Paloma

GO LOKAL! LAUNCHES ITS FIRST INLINESTORE IN AYALAMALLS MANILA BAY!

DTI’s GO LOKAL LAUNCHES 2nd INLINE STORE IN AYALA MALLS UP TOWN CENTER

The Department of Trade and Industry’s Go Lokal! program has reached another milestone with the opening of its second inline store at Ayala Malls UP Town Center. In partnership with Common Room PH and Ayala Malls, the inline store carries over 200 homegrown MSME products
including 28 Go Lokal food, home and wellness, and arts and crafts brands

Lokalistas will now find products from Aretei Food Corporation, WODD, The Soap Farm, Bamboo Company, MS3 Agriventures, JaLees Farms, Benguet Gold Coffee, Apung Diung Pan Plaza Bakery, Happy Jess Food, AG Nutriceuticals, Blooms and Petals, Cactus and Canvas, Sangkutsa Food Products, Bambuhay, Biomart Asia, Wix Manila Personal and Home Care Products Trading, Happy Island, KXC Enterprises, Nipa Brew, Haspe Design Studio, Balai Kamay, Mama Cili, Tiger Craft Food and Beverage Company Inc., Innovative Packaging, B&C Healthy Snacks, Project Beans, and Basimatsi.

There are also 22 Common Room PH brands that offer Go Lokal collections. These brands include Bedazzled Accessories, Designer’s Crib,Izzo, Kbang MNL, Kerf & Co, LunaMaia, Nyuki, Rawtura, Little Big Help PH, PopJunkLove, Cherly Owen, Cork Project, Danger in Design, Louise Ramos, Cut the Scrap, Sapin Sapin, Hocus, Simoy ng Haraya, Sustainably Made, Fandom Feels, Gouache, and Habil Crafts.

Go Lokal!, a free-market access platform for Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) introduced by DTI and in collaboration with select retail partners, continues to reach a wider market in spite of the pandemic. Since its launch in December 2016, the Go Lokal! program has partnered with 24 retailers, rolled out 156 stores nationwide, assisted 863 MSMEs of which 414 were already mainstreamed and have become regular suppliers of partner retailers. To date, the program has generated sales of Php 457 Million as of April 2022.

Following its soft opening last 9 September, the second inline store is set to formally launch on 19 October 2022 at 10:30 a.m. Executives from DTI, Ayala Malls, and Common Room PH will be invited to show their support in providing opportunities for local MSMEs who are still recovering from the effects of the Covid-19pandemic.

We invite everyone to visit the Go Lokal store located at the 2nd Floor, Phase 2 Building of Ayala Malls U.P. Town Center. The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Go Lokal outlets are also found in malls, supermarkets, Duty-Free shops, and e-commerce platforms such as LazMall and ShopeeMall.

You may send your inquiries to golokalph@dti.gov.ph, DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion’s Director Marievic Bonoan at bdtp@dti.gov.ph, and Ms. KorinaSantos, Go Lokal officer, at korinasantos@dti.gov.ph or call +632 8751 3223.

For more information, visit our official website and social media accounts at: Website: https://golokal.dti.gov.ph

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DTI.GoLokal/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dti.golokal/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DTI_GoLokal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-lokal/ Buy Local, Go Lokal!

DTI Go Lokal Partners with Kalocal by 1Export to Introduce MSME Products to the Global Market

Go Lokal! is a flagship program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that aims to help the country's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) make their products more accessible to new markets. It is a marketing platform that promotes the incubation and mainstreaming of MSME products and is provided for free by the DTI and its retail partners. The program supports a wide range of manufacturing sectors including food and beverage, lifestyle, fashion, home décor, and health and wellness and showcases unique and quality products with compelling stories on the Filipino’s craftsmanship and ingenuity.

Since its inception in 2016, the Go Lokal! program has partnered with 24 retailers, rolled out 154 stores nationwide, and assisted 859 MSMEs of which 385 have become regular suppliers of partner retailers. To date, the program has generated sales amounting to Php 428 million.

This year, Go Lokal embarks on another groundbreaking move towards the global market to reach Filipino communities abroad by partnering with Kalocal, a platform pioneered by 1Export where you can order export ready Filipino products at wholesale prices. Kalocal aims to help Filipino communities abroad who want to start their own business through importing and reselling products directly from local producers and manufacturers by offering competitive pricing for a wide variety of products - from heritage to novelty, from premium to popular and fast-moving brands.

In 2022, Go Lokal! together with Kalocal by 1Export, will launch the "Go Lokal Surprise Box" — a curated gift box containing Filipino products that will be made available, initially in the USA and Canada. Every product highlights a unique story of being proudly and passionately made by MSMEs in the Philippines. Key influencers who are proudly supporting this partnership include Jimmy Alapag @jalapag3, LJ Moreno Alapag @thelollicakechic, Raf Ignacio of @filipinofoodcrawl, Vanjo Merano @panlasangpinoy and Ruby Rodriguez @rodriguezruby.

This promotional initiative will help MSMEs transition to cross-border trade as it provides the opportunity for the world to discover Filipino culture through artisanal handicrafts and delectable treats. This 2022, try Go Lokal products and join us in our journey to empower our local MSMEs. Buy Local, Go Lokal, Eat Local!

For inquiries, please contact DTI-BDTP Director Marievic M. Bonoan, and Go Lokal! Program Manager, Ms. Irma V. Merza at bdtp@dti.gov.ph and golokalph@dti.gov.ph.

Learn more at: kalocal.1export.com/

DTI Sets Up Facility for SEA Games in Support of PH Hosting

In a bid to make available options for Halal food and souvenirs for athletes, guests, and visitors of the 2019 South East Asian Games (30th SEA Games), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), represented by the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (BDTP), and Regional Operations Group (ROG), has installed a temporary facility at the East Commercial Center, New Clark City, Tarlac in collaboration with Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT).

“This is an independent facility close to the main venue to make available food (including Halal and Muslim-friendly) and non-food products (souvenirs - Likha ng Central Luzon, Go Lokal, Bangon Marawi) in time for the 30th SEA Games. We are here to provide support and this is our way of contributing to the needs of this occasion,” DTI - Trade Promotions Group (TPG) Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman said.

This DTI initiative aims to collaborate with the private sector to make available Halal, Muslim-friendly concessionaires, and other Philippine products for the opening of the 30th SEA Games.

Featured concessionaires include La Rose Noire (Aqua Panem), Bricks and Copper, Asian Food Cuisine, Rajput Halal Pak Cuisine, Ate A Halal Food Services, and Hen Lin.

Halal Products/Retailers include Magic Melt, Greenlife Coconut Products Philippines, Inc., Batangas Egg Producers Cooperative, Mira’s Turmeric Products, and Axiom Natur Trading Corp.

The SEA Games venue in New Clark City (NCC), Capas, Tarlac is host to Aquatics (water polo, diving) and Athletics (marathon, heptathlon, decathlon, etc.) sports activities considered as significant sources of medals for the Philippines and the Athletes Village. Competition activities started last 26 November and will run up to 10 December 2019 in NCC.

DTI - Sydney Partners with Expand Franchising and other Organizations to Promote Franchising in Australia

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Sydney, Australia, partnered with Expand Franchising and other organizations in organizing franchising seminars and small group business consultations to promote franchising in Australia.

The first franchising seminar was conducted on February 19, 2019 in Campbeltown in partnership with Narra Co-operative, Inc., a membership co-op comprised of Filipino-Australians involved in community events.

On February 20, 2019, PTIC-Sydney hosted a coffee talk on franchising and a series of small group business consultations with Expand Franchising.

A seminar on “Franchising Trends and Opportunities” was likewise hosted by the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) on February 21, 2019.

Ms. Alma Argayoso, the Philippine Consul Commercial to Australia said the franchising seminars and business consultations are initiatives under the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhyan (TNK) program that the DTI overseas office in Sydney supports.  

The TNK is a project of the DTI in partnership with other government agencies, private sector, academe and civil society organizations, to promote entrepreneurship and generate employment.

“We aim to help our Kababayans or their families back home invest in viable economic activities in the Philippines by providing them with information and resources to help them succeed as entrepreneurs”, Argayoso said.

“Franchising is one of the business opportunities that we promote because it’s an important tool for economic development that creates thousands of enterprises and generates millions of jobs,” Argayoso added.

Mr. Ignacio Gimenez of Expand Franchising brought to Australia its partner in the Philippines, RK Franchise Consultancy,Inc., represented by its founder, Mr. Rudolf Kotik. Mr. Kotik has over 40 years in the franchising business and developed over 800 brands in the Philippines and abroad.

Mr. Kotik presented franchising trends and opportunities and the benefits, procedures and steps to becoming a franchisee or a franchisor for those who would like to scale up and open their business for franchising.

“We believe owning a franchise is a good investment. It has less risk than an independent start-up with an average ROI of two years and the opportunity to grow the business more rapidly than an independent business,” Kotik said.

“It’s the biggest and most successful business system in the world and the Philippines is in the top ten with the most number of franchise units globally. Among the latest trends are innovative food and beverage outlets, self-service laundromats, education and tutorial services, specialized beauty services, and animal care services,” Kotik added.

While most of the interested parties were overseas or former Filipinos, looking for a franchise to set-up in the Philippines or bring to Australia, a number of foreigners also expressed interest in the co-ownership arrangements where several investors can buy 80% share in the franchise while 20% remains with the franchisor. The franchisor will run the business and provide monthly financial reports and quarterly dividends. This is a win-win arrangement where a franchisor uses OPM or Other People’s Money to grow the business, while a franchisee invests in a business without having to worry about the day-to-day operations.

 

In photo: Mr. Rudolf Kotik presents franchising trends and opportunities to APBC

      members and guests.

In photo: PTIC-Sydney hosts a coffee talk on franchising at the Descano Café.

PH, Malaysia to pursue cooperation on Halal, barter trade, and strengthening BIMP-EAGA

MAKATI – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez pushed for greater bilateral cooperation on the area of barter trade between the Philippines (PH) and Malaysia (MY) during his dialogue with Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking on 8 March 2019. The trade chief highlighted the revival of barter trade system in Mindanao will support the promotion of Halal industry from both countries. The ministers also agreed to cooperate in strengthening the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East ASEAN Growth Areas (BIMP-EAGA).

“We should really make these areas of cooperation work as it will create and bring more economic activities to both Filipinos and Malaysians. The barter trade as well as the BIMP-EAGA will mean a lot to our people,” said Sec. Lopez.

The trade chief conveyed the ongoing progress in the revival of barter trade system in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi areas (BASULTA) that aim to provide more livelihood and income to small coastal communities, especially in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Likewise, he underscored PH’s potential in Halal industry and the opportunities it offers to Malaysian consumers.

Officials from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) noted that apart from electronics, top imports from PH include processed food, which could be a strong start for Halal promotions.

In 2018, MY stood as the country’s 10th largest trading partner, 11th export market, and 9th top import supplier. Total bilateral trade from both countries amounted to USD 6 billion in 2018 compared to USD 5.5 billion in 2017.

DTI will head a delegation on April to attend the Malaysia International Halal Showcase. “This kind of activities are very important to PH as the country is still beginning to recognize its potentials in the Halal industry and would learn much from big economies, like Malaysia,” Sec. Lopez added.

Both ministers expressed the need to focus on the development of ASEAN’s sub regions, which include the BIMP-EAGA.

Meanwhile, Minister Leiking expressed his appreciation on PH products and home-grown brands like Jollibee, which is currently expanding in MY.

MITI officials also conveyed the interest of many Malaysian companies in participating in PH government’s massive infrastructure project, Build Build Build as well as the assistance extended to companies intending to invest in PH.

The meeting between Sec. Lopez and Minister Leiking followed the visit to PH of His Excellency Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad last week. Present during the meeting were DTI Undersecretaries Ceferino Rodolfo and Abdulgani Macatoman, Assistant Secretaries Angelo Taningco and Allan Gepty, Board of Investments International Investments Promotion Service Chief Lanie Dormiendo, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa, Malaysian Investment Development Authority Executive Director for Strategic Planning Zabidi Mahbar, ASEAN Economic Integration Division of MITI Director Khairulnizam Hashim, and MATRADE Manila Trade Commissioner Siti Azlina Mohd Ali Hanafiah.

DTI Presents Investment Opportunities to Dutch Shipbuilding Firm

MAKATI – With Dutch shipbuilding company Damen Shipyard Group visiting the Philippines (PH) to possibly partner with the Philippine Navy to build and supply naval defense vessels, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez took the opportunity to present the Hanjin Facility in Subic and other investment options in a meeting with them last 04 March.

“Shipbuilding is one of our priority industries not just in Subic, but also in many locations in our archipelagic country. We have the required manpower and skillset for new shipbuilders. As a market ourselves, the country is also in need of smaller vessels like the Roll-On-Roll-Off (RORO) ships,” said Sec. Lopez.

Unlike Hanjin, Damen does not produce large container ships. Instead, they focus on smaller vessels like yachts, cruises ships, navy ships, and tug boats. The company’s chairman Kommer Damen said this puts them in a good position because they’re not affected by the overcapacity in the cargo ship market that caused Hanjin to scale down their operations.

The company already has a footprint in PH through their partnership with the Filipino company Propmech Global Technologies and their contract with the Philippine Airlines. DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said that Damen's technical team already surveyed the facility and is reviewing how it will fit in their current plans.

Board of Investments (BOI) Governor Napoleon Concepcion shared that shipbuilding companies from Australia and Norway are investing in Visayas and Mindanao respectively and offered similar sites to the Dutch company.

Chairman Damen said this is a good scenario to have with more shipbuilders in an area due to greater industry support and better education for employees.

Gov’t Touts Reforms on Ease of Doing Business Ahead of World Bank Survey

Following the protest by the Philippine government on World Bank’s 2019 Doing Business (DB) Report, the Department of Trade and Industry kicked off a communication campaign in its bid for better results in the 2020 cycle by reporting to the public, the various Ease of Doing Business reforms initiated by various agencies of government. 

DTI organized a briefing of respondents which participated in the 2019 DB survey composed of lawyers, contractors, accounting firms, and other professionals. Key officials from SEC, BIR, LRA, and the QC Government presented the various programs, and policies issued by agencies aimed at promoting efficiency in government.

During the briefing, DTI Undersecretary Rowel S. Barba underscored the whole-of-government approach. 

“We are proud of the reforms instituted by the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of government to promote Ease of Doing Business. We need to catapult the Philippines, and we need Congress, the Supreme Court, and the executive branch to closely work together,” Undersecretary Barba said. 

The trade undersecretary's statement was in reference to the recent enactments by the legislative and the Supreme Court. Three of these major reforms were the Revised Corporation Code, Personal Property Security Act, and the Supreme Court’s new rule on small claims coverage. DTI is looking to the three and their resulting initiatives to have an impact on the country's performance in the 2020 survey and succeeding survey cycles.

The Revised Corporation Code, signed into law on 20 February 2019, removes the minimum paid-in capital requirement, promotes electronic filing of articles of incorporation, and directs the SEC to issue rules and regulations to protect minority investors and improve corporate governance in accordance with international best practices.

Businesses will also have greater access to credit through the Personal Property Security Act, which allows borrowers to use other personal property like inventory, accounts receivable, and agricultural products as collateral.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court’s increase in the amount covered in small claims cases from Php300,000 to 400,000 will allow more cases to be filed in Metropolitan Trial Courts and reduce the costs associated with debt collection.

During the briefing, SEC Commissioner Jayvee Francisco presented the Lane for Express Application Process (LEAP) which will drastically improve the processing of simple applications.  The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) meanwhile reported on the issuance by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Caesar Dulay of Revenue Memorandum Circulars 6-2018, 19-2018, 27-2019, and 29-2019 streamlining requirements and procedures to allow new business taxpayers in QC to immediately start its business operations while waiting for the printing and delivery of its receipts/invoices by BIR accredited printers. 

Undersecretary Barba said these reforms are in line with the President socio-economic Agenda, to promote competitiveness and ease of doing business, adding that, “Beyond our objective of improving the Philippines’ rank and score, the steps we have taken signify our commitment to create a competitive business environment and foster innovation and entrepreneurship.  We are confident that the reforms initiated by the Supreme Court, Congress, and the executive branch will make doing business in the Philippines easier”. 

 

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Government addresses high shipping costs and port congestion; public consultation on Joint Administrative Order conducted

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Finance (DOF), and  Department Transportation (DOTr),  jointly organized a public hearing on the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) that will tackle the long outstanding issues of high shipping costs, port congestion, and inefficient container handling that adversely affect the importers, exporters, and the consumers in general. DTI Undersecretary Rowel S. Barba (2nd left) presided over the public hearing  on February 14, 2019, which was attended by foreign shipping lines, truckers, customs brokers, container yard operators, terminal operators, and exporters to gather comments and recommendations before the finalization of the draft regulation.  He was  joined by DOTr Undersecretary Fernando Juan Perez (2nd right), Bureau of Customs Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy-Buco (left) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago.  Parties are requested to submit inputs and proposals to the draft JAO on or before February 21, 2019.

Go Lokal! gets Most Innovative Idea Award at SPRints 2017 Huwarang DTI

The Go Lokal! team, led by DTI-Trade and Investments Promotion Group (TIPG) Assistant Secretary Rosvi C. Gaetos (third from right) and former TIPG undersecretary Nora K. Terrado (fourth from right), receives the “Most Innovative Idea Award” at the SPRints 2017 Huwarang DTI on January 31, 2019 at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City. The SPRInts or “System for Performance, Rewards, and Incentives” is an annual search for top performing DTI executives and employees whose notable contributions led to the agency’s improved work conditions and services. Joining Gaetos and Terrado (from left) are: Planning Management Service Office-in-Charge Robert Alvin T. Arceo, Management Services Group Undersecretary Ireneo V. Vizmonte, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, product specialist Stanly Ruiz, Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion Assistant Director Marievic M. Bonoan, consultant Leon Flores, and Human Resource and Administrative Service Director Joel R. Cruz.

 

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez (fourth from left) with the DTI Executives and awardees of the Huwarang DTI Employee of the Year 2017.

From left:  Regional Operations Group (ROG) Undersecretary Zenaida C.  Maglaya, ROG Assistant Secretaries Demphna Du-Naga and Blesila A. Lantayona, TIPG Assistant Secretary Rosvi C. Gaetos, and former undersecretary Nora K. Terrado. 

Trade Chief on Artificial Intelligence: Let’s make it work for BPO

There is a way to make artificial intelligence (AI) work for the sector of the business process outsourcing (BPO), amidst threats that this technology posts on our major services industry, the country’s trade chief said.

A product of the fast pace changes in technology, AI has presented itself more than just a new technology but as a threat to the current employees servicing the service export industry and the BPO, including the contact centers.

“Let us retool and reposition the nature of the current jobs in the industry,” said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, in the course of pessimistic prediction that AI could potentially diminish 45 to 50% of the approximately 1.2 million Filipino employees of the BPO industry.

Sec. Lopez cited these possible solutions coming from his recent collaboration with Dr. Dado Banatao, a renowned Filipino technology entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley, in order to minimize the impact of AI on job displacements. Together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and the Unite States Agency for International Development (USAID), the group is currently working on building an inclusive, innovation ecosystem (government-academe-industry network) that will infuse science and technology, and innovation in industries including agriculture and services. 

The AI technology enables computers to provide answers or solutions to problems raised in contact center transactions. Through programming, and deep learning technology, several databases are processed at faster speed and the computer processors are able to respond and recommend actions to callers.

“We need to train affected BPO employees and strategically orient them on the emerging technology requirements of the industry that will enable them to continuously improve job performance. In other words, making use of technology in their jobs rather than being displaced by it,” said Sec. Lopez.

“In simpler terms, we will endeavor to make this new technology work for them,” he added.

The trade chief said that intensive education and training programs for those in the industry should be developed soon by the academe, government and industry innovation ecosystem to ensure least manpower displacement.

He also underscored the need to develop an inclusive, innovation-led industrial ecosystem that will upgrade the competitiveness of the Philippine core sectors, including the services sector, in a bid to improve productivity, output generation. This is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's agenda to build competitive industries that will generate more jobs and income, reduce inequality and give a more comfortable life for every Filipino, according to Sec. Lopez.

DTI and DOST will lead the convening of all enablers in the innovation ecosystem to map out the overall framework and programs to be implemented.

“There is a need to strengthen curriculum towards computer science, engineering, data science and AI application design, among others. This effort is also deemed to be inclusive as disqualified BPO applicants and retrenched agents will be retrained for AI application development that will eventually enable them to get jobs,” Sec. Lopez concluded. 

*This is Press Release