Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez. (File photo) MANILA - Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez again debunked the notion that the country's participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will weaken the agriculture sector. In a radio interview with Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM Monday, Lopez said the RCEP can help Philippine agro-based exports to maximize their potential as they will become more competitive in other markets through the lowering of tariffs. Contrary to the claims that Philippine agro-based exports are weak, the DTI chief said there are agricultural products in which the country is one of the top exporters in the world. These include banana, pineapple, coconut-based products, and tuna, among others. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data show that in March 2022, total exports of agro-based products rose 32.6 percent to USD571.12 million from USD430.82 million in March 2021. Its share in the exports
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (File photo) MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has identified 10 priority programs of the agency that it wishes to be pursued by the next leadership, and top of its list is the non-reversal of the current policy direction and continuity of economic reforms of the Duterte administration. In a Viber message to trade reporters Thursday, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said these programs will support the next administration to continue the economic recovery efforts led by President Rodrigo Duterte. He said these programs have helped the Philippines to log an 8.3 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the first quarter of 2022. Lopez said the DTI wants the next leadership to ensure full economic recovery through the continued rollout of the immunization program so all areas will be placed under Alert Level 1 and classes could return to face-to-face setup. The next DTI chief should also hike the budget for programs modernizing and advancing t
File photo MANILA - The government aims to bring down the unemployment rate close to pre-pandemic level of around 5 to 5.5 percent this year, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said Tuesday. In a virtual presser of the Presidential Communications Operations Office-Office of the Global Media and Public Affairs, Lopez said the unemployment rate slowed down to 6.5 percent last November from a peak of 17.6 percent in April 2020. "Our goal in 2022 is to further increase our job generation efforts to close down (the) unemployment rate nearer to pre-pandemic levels," he said. Last year, the Task Force Group on Economic Recovery-National Employment Recovery Strategy (TGER-NERS) was created to address job shedding across different industries due to adverse impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). From January to November 2021, the TGER-NERS contributed some 913,498 in job generation. Some 162,861 jobs were created through Department of Labor and Employm
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez (File photo) MANILA - Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez has lauded the role of cooperatives as "financial front-liners" during the pandemic for being able to reach and assist small businesses with limited access to financial institutions and government agencies. "You are our essential allies in empowering MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) and extending government services to our MSMEs at the grassroots level who are based in far-flung areas of the country," Lopez said in his solidarity message during the opening of the celebration of Cooperative Month on Friday. He emphasized the need to support MSMEs to thrive amid the global health and economic crisis. "These entrepreneurs are important contributors to our country's inclusive and sustained economic growth strategy," Lopez said, adding that the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) has been DTI's partner to provide financial service