PCAB Contractors Can Now Pay Licensing and Registration Fees Online

The Department of Trade and Industry- Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (DTI-CIAP) and the Landbank of the Philippines entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 12 February 2018 to provide fast and efficient alternative payment collection services to CIAP clients such as PCAB contractors.

Since end of April 2018, contractors can directly transact with the Landbank Payment gateway for online payment of monetary obligations to CIAP-PCAB, i.e., payment of fees and charges relative to licensing and registration application, among others.

The Landbank Link.BizPortal is an alternative channel that offers a safer and more convenient means to pay government fees anytime, anywhere. It will allow contractors to pay licensing and registration fees and charges assessed by CIAP-PCAB online or manually; with the following transaction charges:

Payment Source/Option	Transaction Fee	Remarks
LANDBANK ATM Cards/Visa  Debit Cards	P10.00*
BancNet Member-Bank’s ATM/ Debit Cards	P20.00*
Globe GCash	P20.00* P30.00*	for transactions up to P999 for transactions P1,000 and above

*per transaction

As of now, the following of bancnet member banks are being accepted for Landbank E-payment: Asia United Bank; BPI Direct BanKo; CTBC Bank; Citystate Savings Bank; DBP; Enterprise Bank; Entrepreneur Bank; Equicom Savings Bank; MASS SPECC; Malayan Bank; PBCom; Phil Postal Savings Bank; Philtrust Bank; Sterling Bank of Asia; Sun Savings Bank; and Tianong Rural Bank.

For more information, contractors may visit CIAP’s website at www.ciap.dti.gov.ph.

Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act: A Gamechanger, Says DTI

The Department of Trade and Industry expressed optimism that the newly-enacted Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 will make doing business in our country easier as it promotes efficient government.

“Under the EODB/Efficient Government Act, businesses can expect streamlined processes, reduced processing times from all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs).  Government agencies shall be made to comply with the prescribed processing time: three (3) working days for simple transactions, seven (7) working days for complex transactions, and 20 working days for highly technical transactions.” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

The EODB-EGSDA Act, which amended the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, requires all local government units to streamline procedures for the issuance of business permits, clearance and other type of authorizations by implementing unified business application form. LGUs are mandated to setup Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) to facilitate business permits application.  The law also provides that barangay clearances and permits must be issued at the city or municipality to speed up transactions.

Apart from streamlining, the law also provides for the creation of a Central Business Portal that will receive and capture application data on business-related transactions, while Philippine Business Databank shall provide LGUs and national government agencies access to information to verify validity and existence of businesses. With this, businesses are not required to submit the same documentary requirement previously submitted.

The DTI Secretary, who now chairs the Ease of Doing Business and Anti Red Tape Advisory Council (EODB/ARTAC) called RA 11032 a landmark legislation that will have a direct impact on all citizens and business sector.

“We realized that for the EODB reforms to be fully implemented and integrated, a whole-of-government approach was necessary. Thus in full support of the President’s vision, Congress enacted a law that will make doing business in the Philippines easier and more importantly, create a more efficient government.” Lopez added.

The EODB-EGSDA law will be implemented by the Anti-Red Tape Authority, an agency under the Office of the President that will monitor compliance of agencies, and implement and oversee national policy on anti-red tape and ease of doing business. The seven-member Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape Advisory Council will be composed of the Secretaries of DILG, DICT, and DOF, and two members from the private sector. The EODB/ARTAC will serve as the policy and advisory body of ARTA, to be chaired by DTI Secretary, and the Director General of the Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) as Vice Chair.

PH, US open discussions to strengthen trade and investment ties, exploratory talks on possible FTA

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon M. Lopez met with Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jeffrey D. Gerrish and his delegation to further trade and investment ties and continue with the exploratory discussions for a possible free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines (PH) and the United States (US). The two countries agreed that an FTA would be a win for both countries, as both acknowledge there are already opportunities under the current Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that both teams can work on to facilitate immediately more trade.

This follows the meeting of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and U.S. President Donald Trump during the 2017 ASEAN Summit and the statement of USTR Robert Lighthizer, acknowledging the need to strengthen bilateral relations with countries in the Asia Pacific, including PH during a Congressional hearing last March.

“We are looking forward to exploring a free trade agreement with the U.S. Meanwhile, we can simultaneously pursue low-hanging opportunities like the existing TIFA and the privileges under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) of the U.S.,” said Trade Secretary Lopez.

Deputy USTR Gerrish said that “President Trump has made clear his commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, and the United States values our very important trade relationship with the Philippines,” and that “greater engagement on trade and investment will benefit both countries.”

PH currently enjoys preferential duty-free entry to the US through its GSP scheme. In 2017, GSP exports accounts for 17.6% of PH exports to the US, valued at US$ 1.492 billion. Leading GSP exports include tires, sugar, electronics, and fruit and vegetable juices. The GSP was also recently renewed to be effective for three years, instead of the annual review.

The renewed GSP also extended the duty-free treatment to travel goods such as suitcases; vanity and attaché cases; handbags; backpacks; travel, sports and similar bags and cases. The DTI wishes to use this momentum to add footwear to the GSP list. This, in turn, will promote Filipino-made shoes and to encourage foreign shoe manufacturers to locate in the Philippines.

DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo likewise pointed out that under the current TIFA, both side are working on addressing policies and rules that can facilitate at once the flow of goods between the two countries, such as those governing import valuation mechanism, and clarification on tariff application on certain goods.

DTI Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado also noted the PH creative industry is benefitting from being excluded from the USTR Special 301 Watch List, a list of countries with deficient intellectual property protections, for the 5th straight year. Usec. Terrado also said that the DTI is planning a trade roadshow in the US to promote PH products.

*This is Press Release