Foreign travels hobble export sector plan

A private sector representative at the Export Development Council (EDC) has urged the Cabinet’s economic cluster to already tackle the proposed Philippine Export Development Plan 2014-2016, which outlines the strategies that will enable the country’s exports to hit $100 billion by 2016.

Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., vice chair of EDC and president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., explained that the PEDP will have to go through to this cluster before a small select group from the EDC can present it before President Aquino.

The target was for the cluster to discuss the PEDP by next week but travels abroad have been hampering the group to meet. The Department of Trade and Industry, in particular, has been very aggressive this year in its trade and investment promotions activities. Add to that the preparations for President Aquino’s travel to Europe this month (September), Ortiz-Luis added.

“Because of the European trip, everybody’s running in circles. There is supposed be a meeting next week but officials have been busy and they are expected to go ahead of the President. We hope that before they leave for Europe they could already look into the PEDP and approve it so the EDC can seek a meeting with President Aquino,” he explained.

The PEDP 2014-2016 is expected to outline the export revenue targets within the three-year period in consideration of the problems affecting the local and international markets. It is targeted to enable local enterprises to maximize their participation in the global value chain within the next three years.

Such a goal is being pushed as the Philippines is part of an integrated regional economy or the Asean Economic Community (AEC), which is being targeted for completion and establishment by end-2015.