Industries told to be ready for integration opportunities

Assistant Secretary Ceferino Rodolfo discusses the benefits and implications of the Asean Economic Community during last Friday’s forum at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. (CDN PHOTO/ Choy Romano)

DTI assistant secretary cites benefits, allays  concerns of Asean one market

While many are still apprehensive about the Asean Economic Community (AEC) that will go full blast by next year, a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) official encouraged the local industries to be ready to maximize the opportunities brought about by the integration.

In last Friday’s Asean Economic Community Integration Workshop held at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Ceferino Rodolfo, DTI assistant secretary, told the participants that the Philippines’ implementation rate for the integration is already at 87.2 percent.

Advantages

Rodolfo cited the advantages the integration will bring to the country.

In terms of investments, Rodolfo said  we have been very open to investments not only from within the Asean countries but from other countries as well.

He said we have been pushing more on investments for manufacturing which is seen to generate more employment and help the country achieve inclusive growth.

On the movement of people, he said that there is an ongoing development of the Registry of Asean Professionals which aims to have a list of all skilled professionals of all member countries.

“When they are in the list, they can practice their profession everywhere within the Asean countries, but that depends still on what each country will allow. Like if you are a dentist, if a country has an oversupply of dentists then they won’t allow you to practice there. That’s our way of protecting also our professionals,” said Rodolfo.

He said that Filipinos are highly valued around the world which could also mean that local companies should step up in making their packages attractive and keep their talents with them.

Rodolfo said the Philippines in general has nothing to fear with the integration being among the countries in the region that has registered robust growth in the past two years and is abundant in young, skilled and talented manpower.

Efren Carreon, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority, agreed.

Carreon said even if there was no Asean Economic Community Integration, Filipino workers can migrate and work in other Asean countries.

He said it is, however, important to have a Registry of Professionals  so that Filipino professionals can have more opportunities to  participate and be recognized in other Asean countries.

“We have facilitated the harmonization of the qualifications standards with other Asean countries, such as the basic skills, knowledge, curriculum and years of schooling required,” he added.

The harmonization of qualifications framework ensures that the professional qualifications are in line with other Asean member countries.

Rodolfo also allayed concerns that what happened to the European Union (EU) will also happen to the AEC.

“This is not like EU and no, we will not be like EU. What they had is a monetary union. The AEC is only the free trade area which aims to remove all barriers of trade within all member states and become a single large market. It only secures for free flow of goods and skilled manpower,” he said.

To be competitive when the integration goes full blast, Rodolfo said there is a need to link the industry to the policies as well as address issues that can reduce our attractiveness to investors like cost and quality of power, regulation, transport and logistics cost and infrastructure.

Design hub

Carreon said  Cebu can be a design and creativity hub.

“We can create a design and creativity hub and accredit it as a PEZA location and Cebu can take advantage of the Asean market and its growing domestic market,” Carreon said./ With Correspondent Christine Estrella