Exporters hoping next leaders hear their pleas

CEBU, Philippines - The export sector in Cebu is hoping that the new political leaders in both local and national levels will be more sensitive on crafting programs to protect or develop the industry.

"The policy and the priority of the new government will affect our export business a lot," said Philexport-Cebu president Nelson Bascones.

  According to Bascones, the new leaders should know the plight of the exporters for years, and deeply understand the role of competitiveness in the fragile world market.

Recently, PhilExport national president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., asked the government's aid to pursue competitive innovations.

Ortiz-Luis said that increased budget for programs that encourage innovation to boost the competitiveness and growth of the country’s export sector could play a major role in sustaining the life of the industry.

Ortiz-Luis made a call for higher budget, as he also re-affirmed the group’s commitment to continue to collaborate with the government, academe and other private sector to institutionalize reforms needed to promote and strengthen innovation.

 “Note that the export growths are registered from sectors with high innovation components. For this reason, the country’s innovation system needs to be further strengthened as it remains weak and fragmented,” Ortiz-Luis said.

Ortiz-Luis cited, for example, the need to increase the budget particularly for the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to P55 million this year from P40.75 million last year.

 He said the country’s research and development (R&D) budget should be also raised from P11.7 billion in 2015 to at least 5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

 Ortiz-Luis also proposed for the implementation of the Philippine Roadmap for Internet- related Technology Innovation which aims for the country to be the next innovation hub; and the Philippine Innovation System fueling the technological capacity of industry. — (FREEMAN)