The Philippines’ Bureau of Import Services (BIS), strengthens its capacity to monitor the surge in the volume of imported locally produced industrial commodities through the Import Surge Monitoring System. The system is additionally seen as a supplement to the implementation of the country’s Free Trade Agreements (FTA), particularly the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.
In an effort to proactively track the volume levels of locally produced imported goods, the Import Surge Monitoring System was launched on 31 May 2023. It is a business intelligence (BI) tool that serves as a mechanism to ensure the level of playing field for the Philippine domestic industry when confronted with an unwarranted influx of imported goods. The system can easily detect a surge in importation of a particular commodity through the automation of various steps in the execution of the function.
The Import Surge Monitoring System aims to assist the local industry and the BIS to monitor imports of products, particularly industrial products that are sensitive and conceivably the subject of a trade remedy investigation. It will therefore boost the utilization of trade remedy measures since domestic industries will be consulted to validate whether they are being harmed or adversely affected by the surge or increased imports. The sharp and significant increase in importation is a key element to initiate an investigation on a possible trade remedy case. The DTI through the BIS is mandated to conduct initiation and preliminary investigation on Safeguard Measures, Anti-Dumping, and Countervailing cases filed by the domestic industry.
Furthermore, considering the country’s trade liberalization commitments in various international fora, the Import Surge Monitoring System can assist in monitoring the levels of Philippine imports as basis in trade negotiations pursued. Moreover, to increase competitive advantage, the data generated therein can be used by businesses as a guide in formulating their business strategies, plans, forecasting, and projecting market demand, among others.
For more information and to enroll products to be monitored by the Import Surge Monitoring System, interested stakeholders may contact the Bureau of Import Services – Import Policy and Monitoring Division (BIS-IPMD) through email: bis_ipmd@dti.gov.ph or telephone no.: (+632) 8896 4430.