NAGA CITY, April 24 (PIA) --- As the global market expands its horizon, so as the need for local entrepreneurs to acclimatize to the inevitable challenges of doing business also increases. This includes making their products more competitive, more innovative and at par with its global counterparts.
This was the focus of the discussions spearheaded by two adept and business gurus from the Department of Trade (DTI) Export Marketing Bureau – Export Assistance and Business Matching Division Chief Sonia L. Rodriguez and Senior Trade and Investment Specialist Senen T. Briones.
The duo, who are both true-blooded Bicolanos, talked on raising the awareness of the businessmen and those in the business sector on the opportunities and benefits of ASEAN Integration and European Union - Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus (EU-GSP) especially concerning Philippine Exporters.
Dubbed “Doing Business in the Free Trade Areas (DBFTA)- Overview of the ASEAN Economic Community and EU-GSP+”, the activity held yesterday at Doña Jamora Hall, Villa Caceres Hotel endeavors to inform local entrepreneurs that they can take advantage of the reduced tariffs for their goods - which can be translated to greater profit and better business prospect.
Invited to attend the event are Bicolano exporters, those involved in Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), members of the academe, especially those offering business courses, representatives from government agencies and members of the media.
DTI Provincial Director Edna Tejada stated in her welcome remarks that they have invited representatives from various sectors to ensure that learning and discussions during the session will also be relayed to their respective communities.
“We want to spread the good news to our stakeholders that ASEAN has eliminated tariffs on 99 per cent of its tariff lines and EU has granted zero duties to 6,274 Philippine products under the GSP+ scheme. We also want to share the good news under the Philippine Free Trade Agreement. Our businessmen need to keep pace with the latest development of our ASEAN neighbors,” Tejada added.
DTI Spokesperson Jay Ablan also stated that the business atmosphere now is becoming more competitive, the reason why our local businessmen should also equip themselves with new innovations, be open to changes and see competition not as a threat but rather as an avenue to improve their craft and emerge as a better version of themselves as professional and seasoned entrepreneur.
Rodriguez also discussed that the ASEAN Economic Community shall be the goal of regional economic integration by 2015.
Under its roof are the things that all nations wants to achieve: a single market and production base, which includes free flow of goods, services, investments and free flow of skilled labor; a highly competitive economic region, which consists of competitive policy, consumer protection, intellectual property rights, infrastructure development, taxation and e-commerce; a region of equitable economic development, which would result to SME development and a region fully integrated into the global economy, which means an enhanced participation in global supply networks. (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)