By Alithea De Jesus

After a slowdown in export in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippines is slowly rebounding in its export merchandise in the latest report. But given the unique situation wherein social distancing, community quarantine and other health protocols are being implemented by the government the need to effectively and efficiently ramp up the momentum of the export market, the exporting companies need to accelerate digital transformation to recover and thrive in the new normal.

This coming December 3, industry stakeholders will participate in the virtual National Export Congress (NEC) carrying the theme “Digitalization Boost: Invigorating Export in the New Normal” discussing how exporters can digitally transform different aspects of their business and sustain the sector’s gains.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary and Export Development Council (EDC) chair Ramon Lopez will deliver a keynote address at the opening ceremonies of the event.

DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) President and EDC Vice Chair Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr. will also give their opening statements.

Two-panel discussion sessions at the congress will tackle digitalization in manufacturing, payments, logistics, and skills upgrading and retooling; and connectivity, e-commerce, and education and training.

Esteemed speakers from the government and private sector include EMS Consulting Group president Ferdinand Ferrer, GCash Head of Key Merchants and Acquirers Maria Ana Leticia Pascual, Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines President-elect Pierre Carlo Curay, Employers Confederation of the Philippines Director Antonio Sayo, Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary for Special Concerns Emmanuel Rey Caintic, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director Melchor Plabasan, DTI e-Commerce Lead Assistant Secretary Jean Pacheco, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Deputy Director-General Rosanna Urdaneta.

During the congress, awarding ceremonies will recognize the country’s top exporters of 2019.

Fujita Masataka, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Japan Council will also share a presentation on the global value chain leveraging on this regional partnership.

SheTrades, the International Trade Centre’s initiative for the economic empowerment of women, will also be launched. It will be graced by Lopez, Macatoman and ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton.

A panel discussion will then showcase Philippine women-owned businesses who are successfully navigating the new normal, are gaining competitive advantage through their digital transformation and will be able to access more global trade opportunities through the ITC SheTrades initiative.

The NEC is the culminating activity of the National Exporters’ Week which is celebrated every first week of December per presidential proclamation 931, Series of 1996, and House Resolution 33.

Prior to the congress, the free Usapang Exports seminar series organized by the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau will discuss export-related matters, global trends, market updates, and other relevant topics.

This year’s sessions will cover logistics and transport, market trends in the new normal, international certification for food and non-food exports, and halal exports, among other topics.

The export enablers’ exhibit showcases the export-related services of government agencies, financing institutions, startups, and other trade-related organizations.

“The exhibit provides a venue where exporters can get all the requisite export knowledge and professional guidance necessary in navigating the vast and intricate network of businesses across the global market and break new grounds internationally,” the DTI-EMB said.

Interested participants may register through https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h25S_j41Te2I21EsJ1cVuQ

By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios

Heeding the call to utilize game-changing technologies to enhance their competitiveness especially as they adapt to the New Normal amid the pandemic crisis and deliver efficient service, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is ready to roll out the Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (E-TRACC) System, as the platform and sealing devices are set up and there are enough personnel to provide 24/7 service, according to a customs official.

“We are ready for the implementation of the program,” which has been tested and streamlined with no major delays, confirmed BOC Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy Buco in an online discussion.

He said the software platform has been prepared and about 1,300 devices are ready for deployment by the program service provider.

Under the E-TRACC, “arming” at the ports of cargoes bound for Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) areas can be done in two to three minutes, Dy Buco said. He noted that at the Manila International Container Port or MICP, there are about 700 containers per day bound for PEZA while the Port of Manila (POM) has some 500 containers per day.

The BOC’s Port Inspection Division Personnel (PID) will provide 24/7 service relating to the approval to arm and disarm the containers. When the containers arrive at PEZA, disarming also only takes about two to three minutes, he continued.

“We have sufficient personnel to disarm all containers within the hour. So we are ready for implementation,” he stressed.

The E-TRACC System was established under Customs Memorandum Order No. 04-2020 to implement Customs Administrative Order No. 15-2019 (Rules and Regulations for Customs Transit in the Customs Territory).

The objective of the E-TRACC is to prevent smuggling by diversion, which leads to billions in losses in government revenue, said Dy Buco.

The program is currently being pilot implemented in Batangas, MICP and POM.

The customs executive said they are planning a phased implementation of E-TRACC across the country. “Sa PEZA, sa imports we estimate that we can have it fully implemented in the month of July.”

In Cavite and Laguna, Dy Buco said the briefing and training of personnel started a couple of days ago, and assured that “we have enough personnel to render 24/7 service to implement this program.”

This coming week, he added, training will also be conducted among customs personnel in Subic, Clark, and Bataan on the implementation of the program at the free ports, and the rollout is likely to take place either July or August as well.

Moreover, the BOC plans to expand to Davao and Cebu either this month or in early August.

Asked about the cost to the business, Dy Buco said the fee is P500 per container within a 10-kilometer radius from the port of discharge and P700 per container beyond 10 kilometers.

Dy Buco said the fee is “less than 3% of overall trucking cost and less than 1% of the overall logistics cost of one container.”

In return, stakeholders or locators have “peace of mind as they can track their valuable cargo in real time.” He added that only the stakeholder has access to his own dashboard.

On whether the fees will discourage ease of doing business due to higher logistics cost, Dy Buco disagreed, noting that the program removes the need for physical underguarding and overtime fees because it promotes automation.

Meanwhile, PHILEXPORT president Dr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., in his opening remarks at the e-forum held July 2, underlined the importance of streamlining and computerization as one of the paths toward recovery and business continuity and productivity.

“As the global race to recovery intensifies, it is critical to remain focused on the road to increased competitiveness, benchmarking on international best practices,” he said.

Samuel Bautista, chief learning officer of the Academy of Developmental Logistics, Inc., at the same forum urged closer collaboration and consultation with the private sector for new customs policies or laws to gain the support of the affected business community.

The e-forum was presented by the Export Development Council, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PHILEXPORT, Transportation Science Society of the Philippines, UPPAF Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development, and Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines.

Read related stories:

https://thephilbiznews.com/trade-chief-lauds-dotrs-order-to-address-high-shipping-costs/

https://thephilbiznews.com/technology-sets-to-boost-ph-export-competitiveness/