Philexport partners with various organization to help exporters

The country’s umbrella organization of exporters has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Labor and Employment and Development Academy of the Philippines for a project that would help exporters become competitive through the use of technologies.

During the general membership meeting of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), the group entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with government agencies to implement the project called The Road to Fourth Industrial

Revolution (FIRe).

Under the MOU, the parties will work together to help exporters so that they can leverage technology and grow.

The parties will hold information sessions and develop a roadmap to guide exporters in implementing FIRe-related activities in their companies.

Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic has made it more important to implement the project to enable businesses to prepare for future crises through the use of technology.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña shared the same view, saying the pandemic has changed the way businesses operate amid movement restrictions imposed by the government.

While more people are opting to do transactions online, he said many businesses particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are not prepared to go digital.

“So a lot of our local MSMEs have been affected in terms of operations during this crisis. And this is exactly what we are trying to address here, we want our MSMEs to be FIReready so that they can easily cope when a crisis such as this occurs,” he said.

Trade Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona said the DTI has several programs to help MSMEs become more innovative and competitive.

“Our 1,130 Negosyo Centers all over the country can be an information hub for Industry 4.0 technologies. Our Negosyo Centers can set up business clinics to promote adoption and linkage with the technology providers. While the support is not much, it will help our MSMEs slowly get back to business while recalibrating its entry as the economy gets back to normal,” she said.

Through the Kapatid Mentor ME program implemented with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship’s Go Negosyo, she said the aim is to reach more MSMEs and encourage them to embrace digital technology.