The three-day Supra Regional Consultations to Improve Logistics Efficiency, Reduce Logistics Costs, and Improve Agri Supply Chain: LSPH T.R.I.P.S Onwards to 2028–Regional Roadshow of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) successfully concluded on 30 September 2022.
The national roadshow team was composed of Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco and her team from the DTI-Supply Chain and Logistics Management Division (SCLMD), Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda of the DTI-Trade Promotions Group (TPG), and representatives from the USAID-Delivering Effective Government for Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth (DELIVER), USAID-Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (RESPOND), and USAID-Support Program for Economic and Enterprise Development (SPEED).
Assisted by DTI Region 2, headed by Regional Director Leah Pulido Ocampo and DTI R2-Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Director Marietta Salviejo, the roadshow team with DTI Region 3 was first welcomed at the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal, Inc. (NVAT), Almaguer North, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya on 28 September 2022.
RD Ocampo expressed her heartfelt gratitude for Region 2 being chosen as the host of the roadshow among all northern regions, and she expressed her hope that the Cagayan Valley will be moved up a few notches in terms of logistics and supply chain.
The overview and logistics issues and concerns of the agri-terminal were presented by General Manager Gilbert Cumila with their member-co-operators and officials.
A forum was conducted afterwards, facilitated by ASec. Pacheco, where she mentioned how strongly e-commerce and digitalization of payments and other financial transactions could help conveniently solve the issues and concerns.
ASec. Peñaranda also provided measures on how the TPG could provide marketing efforts in exports and direct investments by implementing promotional strategies aimed at specific markets. He shared a few of the best marketing practices from China and how they can be localized and replicated.
The team and the guests were also able to visit the terminal and witness its operations.
The consultations continued at the Isabela Convention Center (ICON), Cauayan City, Isabela and via Zoom on 29 September 2022.
Served as the highlight of the roadshow, simultaneous workshops on priority commodities with Ms. Ma. Rosario U. Paccarangan, Division Chief of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 02 (DA RFO 02), and investment opportunities with Ms. Morinaella Eusine Torgo, Acting Division Chief of the Infrastructure Division of the Board of Investments (BOI) were held.
Priority commodities and needed interventions were identified per participant, and everybody was given a chance to vote on which logistical and supply chain intervention was necessary to establish to improve the entire chain.
The program was opened by Cauayan City Mayor Ceasar Dy Jr. and the guests were welcomed by Mr. Samuel Bautista, Component Lead of USAID SPEED.
ASec. Pacheco provided an overview of the consultations.
The overview of the Transport and Storage on a Macro and Regional Level and Supply Chain was likewise presented by Professor Ronilo Balbieran, Infrastructure Team Leader of USAID DELIVER, and the National Logistics Strategy was discussed by Mr. Marc Emmanuel Ayes, Transport and Logistics Policy Specialist of USAID RESPOND.
RD Juliet P. Lucas of DTI-Cordillera Administrative Region, RD Grace Falgui-Baluyan of DTI Region 1, ARD Winston T. Singun of DTI Region 2, and RD Leonila T. Baluyut of DTI Region 3 presented Regional Issues on Logistics, respectively.
Asec. Pacheco and Prof. Balbieran also conducted another set of workshop funnelling and understanding the data created during the first two workshops. According to them, the said data is essential for developing an action plan to support the logistics industry by understanding the particular requirements and problems that must be addressed on a regional level.
A plenary session was also conducted after the workshops and DTI R2 ARD Singun closed the program through a recap of the activity and its key takeaways from the speakers.
The last day of the consultations roadshow on 30 September 2022 constituted a quick spot visit of the team around Cagayan. They started off with the DTI R2 Regional Office buildings at the Regional Government Center, Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City, and then proceeded to the OTOP Philippines Hub in Gattaran, with the highest generated sales among all the OTOP Hubs in the region.
Furthermore, the team also visited Lal-lo International Airport, where they were welcomed by the Lal-lo Vice Mayor, Hon. Maria Olivia B. Pascual, and had a quick chat as to the status of the airport and logistics in her locality.
Thereafter, the team went to visit Buguey, where Hon. Mayor Licerio M. Antiporda III and other LGU officials and employees warmly welcomed them and delighted them with a traditional folk dance performance, and they were served and made to judge various crab dishes in time for the Crab Festival. LGU Buguey prepared a program to present what their municipality has to offer and discuss their concerns about logistics, especially those that affect the livelihood of their constituents.
Asec. Pacheco, in her short reply, expressed that the concerns of the LGU are well-taken and stated her positive hopes for the municipality.
Finally, the team travelled to the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) in Santa Ana and was warmly welcomed by its staff. CEZA presented an overview of their economic zone and their operations and plans.
The visit to CEZA commenced with a quick stop at the San Vicente Wharf and at Port Irene, wherein ASecs and the USAID team had a conversation with the CEZA officials for the zone’s improvement.
The roadshow aimed to develop a new set of policies and programs to increase the competitiveness of the supply chain and logistics industry and to prepare for the development of an action plan on supply chain and logistics management, in accordance with Priority No. 4 of the DTI Secretary’s Strategic Priorities on Ensuring the availability of Accessible and Affordable Food. #
Posted on Facebook on October 19, 2022♦
Date of Release: 19 October 2022