Despite missed chances, ASEAN still good for RP
need of infrastructure [such as] roads between economic zones and ports, airports and rail [systems],” he said.
It is this lack of competitiveness, reckons Federation of Philippine Industries President Jesus L. Arranza, that has so far prevented the Philippines from truly reaping the gains of the ASEAN free trade area.
“We’ve not benefited from it,” he said, pointing to the smaller market share local tiles, glass, and join [the ASEAN] we will be out of the loop,” said Sergio R. OrtizLuis, Jr., Philippine Exporters Confederation president.
And for Mr. Wignaraja: “Overall, there has been net benefits for the Philippines being part of the ASEAN.”
Membership has allowed the Philippines to bag trade deals with China, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand which it was unlikely to forge if it were negotiating on its own, he said.
“ASEAN’s real strength is its linking with the ‘Plus Ones’,” Mr. Wignaraja said, citing in particular the ASEAN-China deal which has created the world’s largest free trade zone.
It is these markets the Philippines must now target to fully take advantage of its ASEAN membership, he said.
Under the draft 2011- 2013 Philippine Export Development Plan due to come out next month, the country seems to be moving towards that direction. While it retains traditional markets like the United States, Europe and Japan as key export destinations, the road map also prescribes directing marketing efforts towards China and India.
The plan also makes a pitch for luring investments that will entrench the country into the global supply chain already dominated by the two emerging economies.
“As a global player, the Philippines cannot afford to focus only on the domestic market alone or just its traditional trading partners,” Mr. Perlada said.
This should yield more than a 10% increase in total export sales every year until 2013 under the plan.
At the very least, it will make it easier for the Philippines to declare its own success story at the next ASEAN anniversary.