With the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) going full blast next year, the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) together with private sectors will be finalizing the roadmaps for Cebu’s industries by June this year.
In an interview yesterday, Neda assistant regional director Efren Carreon said that they only need to meet three more major groups in Cebu – the tourism, logistics and agriculture/fishery groups for their inputs.
“There are two things we need to do for each groups that includes the exporters, tourism, ICT/BPO (information communication technology/business process outsource), small and medium enterprises and more. During our discussions with them, we identify issues that the integration will bring about and identify measures to pursue to address these issues,” said Carreon.
They have already met with the academe and professionals, ICT/BPO, manufacturing, retail and creative industries.
Carreon said that they are scheduling the meeting with the three groups within April and May to give them enough time to sit down and analyze all the inputs they gathered, sectional outputs and put them together in one roadmap.
“We target to launch the roadmap come June in time for the Cebu Business Month celebration by Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry which is our partner in creating the roadmaps,” said Carreon.
In their most recent forum with the Department of Trade and Industry early this month, Trade assistant secretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo assured Cebuano businessmen that the integration will present more opportunities and that the government is already doing its part to ensure that the private sector is enabled and empowered to compete well.
“We realized that to be more competitive, we need to link industries with policies that is why we are working closely with the private sector through consultative meetings to know where we can help them,” said Rodolfo.
He said the policies that they are pursuing now are in line with ensuring that the country’s rate on ease of doing business is high to encourage more investments not only from foreign but also from domestic investors.
They are also working on the industry development agenda that will target specific concerns of industries to help in its development.
The roadmaps being developed for Cebu industries is an example of the development agenda although it is specific to Cebu’s industries according to Carreon.
Exporter and president of Cebu Gift, Toys and Housewares Pete Delantar said that their sector is seeing a lot of opportunities with the integration and urged other players to be more innovative.
“We are very creative and in the past we have always feared being duplicated or copied but really, if you create more products and innovate fast, it will be difficult for them to copy each of what you create,” he said adding that the integration will make it easier for them to also tap and develop the markets of other member states.
Philexport Cebu executive director Fred Escalona said the Filipinos’ ability to speak fluent English compared to other member countries is an advantage.
“That is our strength and we should use that to our advantage, in trading, investments and labor,” said Escalona.
Carreon said it is important for Cebu to create its own roadmaps, especially that Cebu is the fastest growing economy outside of Manila.
“Stakeholders here are also very cooperative and are willing to help prepare for the integration. The chambers and business groups are very proactive,” he said.
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