Government agencies involved in the government’s Manufacturing Resurgence Program (MRP) provided updates of their programs and projects during the 2nd Cluster Meeting at the Board of Investments (BOI) Building.
The MRP is a government-wide program which aims to spur the resurgence of the country’s manufacturing sector by rebuilding the existing capacity of industries, strengthening the new ones and maintain the competitiveness of industries with comparative advantage.
The MRP also seeks to build-up agriculture-based manufacturing industries that generate employment, and support small-holder farmers and agri-cooperatives through product development, value-adding, and integration with the value-chain networking of big enterprises.
“The recent remarkable growth of manufacturing augurs well for the industry’s goal to be globally competitive and for the country to achieve inclusive growth,” said Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Rafaelita Aldaba who chaired the meeting attended by representatives from various agencies namely, the Department of Trade & Industry’s (DTI) BOI and the Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BSMED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the National Power Corporation (NPC).
During the meeting, each of the agencies provided updates on the progress and assessment of the impact of projects on manufacturing growth and employment and their plans for the rest of the year.
Assistant Secretary Aldaba briefed the group of the agency’s ongoing MRP initiatives namely the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program, of which two companies, Toyota and Mitsubishi are already registered with just one remaining slot yet to be filled; Die & Mold Making and Design Training in partnership with the MIRDC and the PDMA; Philippine Rubber Investment and Market Encounter (PRIME); Enhancing the competitiveness of the Philippine Coffee Project: Establishment and implementation of an Aerospace Quality Management Systems (AQMS) Project; Cottage Industry Technology Center Transformation (CITCT) Project; Footwear Roadmap Development; Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS) Project for the electronics industry; Study by the UP School of Urban Planning, Economics and Anthropology on the revival of key industries in the Sixth District of Quezon City; Sectoral Value Proposition Development; Garments and Textile Roadmap Development; Regulations review for priority sectors; and seminars and fora on trade and industry development talks and updates on various industries and sectors.
DTI’s BSMED said that as of June 2016, 1,481 SME-related training runs have been conducted benefitting 57,290 SMEs. For the whole year, it targets 2,345 runs benefitting 74,078 SMEs. As of July 2016, 2,057 Shared Service Facilities (SSFs) have been established and 191 more to be established in the year. Negosyo Centers totaled 296 as of August 2016 with a target of 150 more centers to be established for this year.
DA presented the status of the High-Value Crops Development Program which assisted coffee growers. As of June 2016, there are 19 operational coffee roasting centers around the country. It also reported on the Philippine Rural Development Project’s (PRDP) Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity (I-REAP) Component which is has 49 on-going sub-projects for 2016. The Farm-to-Market Roads Project as part of PRDP’ Intensified Building up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development (I-BUILD) component, reported 135 sub-projects to date with 12 subprojects slated for 2016.
TESDA discussed the update of its Training for Work Scholarship Programs (TWSP) for manufacturing sectors, specifically targeted for subsectors like automotive, garments and textile, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration, metals and engineering, processed food and beverages, and semi-conductor and electronics. As of August 2016, it has garnered 38,535 enrollees and produced 27,207 graduates.
NEA briefed the group on the status of its Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) which along with the DOE and NPC project initiatives are focused on providing sufficient energy for all sectors and for all people. SEP status as of August 2016 showed 2,751 sitios energized for the year and 33,625 sitios since 2011, more than the baseline target of 32,441.
DOE presented its updates, especially on its latest project on Selected Low Enthalpy Geothermal Areas. It aims to conduct a detailed assessment of three (3) potential low enthalpy geothermal areas identified in previous field appraisals particularly for power generation application in the remote areas hosting the resource. These resources may be developed for power generation, and yield other uses in the tourism and agricultural sector. DOE reported that while ensuring sufficient energy supply for the country, it has promoted energy sufficiency as a way of life with Government Energy Management Program as deferred capacity from energy savings amounted to 591 megawatts in 2015. Household electrification level stood at 89.6 percent as of December 2015 with the goal of crossing the 90 percent mark in 2017 by providing electricity access to over 800,000 households.
NPC reported its status on its Capacity Addition Program and Gen Set Rental and Transmission Line Expansion and Addition.