FPI finalizes mfg industry roadmap

MANILA, Philippines - The Federation of Philippine Industries, Inc. (FPI) is finalizing an industry road map for manufacturing which would provide policy recommendations aimed at increasing the sector’s contribution to the total economic output.

Roberto Batungbacal, FPI industry policy committee director told reporters at the sidelines of a workshop yesterday that the group is finalizing its recommendations for the manufacturing road map.

“We have already come up with some key recommendations for the road map based on the work of the research committee,” he said.

One of the initial key recommendations the group has come up with is to minimize technical smuggling through the improved capacity of the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Ports Authority and Philippine National Police.

Other key recommendations include securing consensus among relevant stakeholders on negotiation objectives and positions and coming up with mechanisms to optimize gains and minimize losses from the country’s commitments to international agreements; ensuring that national policies are properly reflected in local government regulations as well as revising the Local Government Code to define areas where local governments could have the final say on policy; crafting a long-term national transport plan; and establishing benchmarks for the country’s industrial competitiveness in the ASEAN.

Batungbacal said the initial recommendations are being discussed by the group with their members so that they may come up with the final key recommendations to be submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“We have to submit it within the month,” he said.

He said the key recommendations for the manufacturing road map are intended to increase the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) so that the Philippines would be among the “top 10 percent” or most competitive by 2032.

“The intention, of course, is to increase the contribution of manufacturing to GDP,” he said.

He said that the FPI has yet to come up with a target for the rise in the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP by 2032.

At present, manufacturing accounts for 21 percent of GDP.

Trade undersecretary Cristino Panlilio said earlier the government is pushing for the development of the manufacturing sector to create jobs for both low-skilled and high-skilled workers and lead to higher economic growth.

The DTI has set the deadline for submission of the road maps from industry associations for different sectors on Aug. 31.