The government has unveiled the first three of 30 industry roadmaps designed to develop investments in the country.
The first roadmaps, released yesterday, are for the manufacturing, chemicals and copper industries, whose representatives earlier gave the government their targets and recommendations.
“These roadmaps are expected to increase our capabilities and determine interventions that the government can provide,” Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said during the Trade and Industry Development Updates forum yesterday at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.
The manufacturing industry set three phases for development until 2025.
The first phase, from 2014 to 2017, seeks to rebuild the capacity of existing industries and strengthen emerging ones.
The second phase, from 2018 to 2021, will see manufacturing shift to high value-added activities and integrate with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The third phase, from 2022 to 2025, will deepen participation of Philippine manufacturing in the region by serving as hubs in production networks for industries including the automotive sector, electronics, garments and food.
Rafaelita M. Aldaba, Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow, said during her presentation of the manufacturing roadmap that emerging industries include tobacco, electric power machinery, glass, milk and cream, metal salts, and parts for tractors and motor vehicles.
To develop the industry, the manufacturing sector sought government support to close supply and value chain gaps through supply hubs, establishing plantations, and increasing access to raw materials. Incentives are also sought to expand domestic market base and training for skills development.
The chemicals industry also presented a three-phase development plan for the sector.
By 2016, the sector hopes to establish the Chemical Industry Council, integrate petrochemicals and to have $5 billion in exports.
By 2022, it wants to diversify and expand into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations territories, improve domestic feedstock and have $10 billion in exports.
The final phase, by 2030, would see Philippine chemicals as the third-largest export of the country, with $30 billion in revenue.
The industry wants support from the government to send engineers and science graduates abroad for further education, to curb smuggling, and to establish a Chemical Industry Cluster Zone.
The copper sector, meanwhile, wants to strengthen ties with international copper organizations by 2014.
It wants to include copper in the 2014 Investment Priorities Plan, give clear direction on open pit mining, and making mining areas economic zones but have incentives limited to the revenue-sharing scheme being formulated by the government.
“Among the interventions that we are looking at include tailor-fitting incentives to fit closer to the roadmaps, reviewing Executive Order 61 on import duties, and the cabotage law,” said Mr. Domingo.
He added that the Trade department is also pushing for the revival of the Industrial Development Council.
Source: Emilia Narni J. David, Business World, August 13, 2013
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