The Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held series of seminars on Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) and Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSPs) on June 15 & 16, 2016, in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya, respectively. The DBFTA program is an initiative which aims to increase the awareness of Filipinos regarding the benefits of free trade agreements (FTAs) and GSPs.

 

Participants, which included exporters, would-be exporters, businessmen, government agencies, local government units, faculty members, and media men, attended the seminars to learn more about the export opportunities in the EU, US, Canada, and other FTA trading partners of the Philippines.

 

Discussions focused on agricultural products considering that both Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya are landlocked provinces. Both provinces have numerous opportunities of exporting agri-food products since the Philippines’ largest exports to the world comprise of fresh and processed foods, alongside electronics and parts of vessels and airplanes. At present, worldwide consumer trends are leaning towards health and wellness, uniqueness and individualism, and convenience.

 

DTI-EMB encouraged participants to explore ways to preserve agricultural products such as canning, drying or dehydrating, fermenting, and extracting oils. Moreover, it would be beneficial for would-be exporters to study the trends and tastes of their targeted market, to seek assistance from government agencies, and to ensure product standards and safety.

 

The speakers for the DBFTA seminars were Ms. Maria Jaena P. Go-aco, Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist from the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), who discussed Doing Business in FTAs; Ms. Justinne Marie D. Santos, Trade and Industry Development Specialist from the EMB, who talked about Doing Business with the European Union (EU) using the GSP+; and Mr. Rudolph Jay D. Velasco, also Trade and Industry Development Specialist from the EMB, who shared about Doing Business with the United States (US) and Canada using GSP.

 

The DBFTA is conducted regularly every second and last Thursday of the month at the DTI International Building, 375 Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City.

 

For inquiries, you may contact EMB at (02) 465-3300 and look for Ms. Justinne Santos (loc. 222) or Ms. Aileen Briones (loc. 219).