Today is Sept. 1, the first day of the “ber” months; and if going by tradition (which the pandemic can’t change), it is the start of the longest Christmas season in the world. Weather-wise, the coming months will be cooler, sometimes disrupted by typhoons and weeks filled with rain; it can also mean
MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ensured exporters that government support to the industry even post-pandemic will continue the growth of the export sector. Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) director Christopher Lawrence Arnuco said the agency has provided some relief to exporters at the onset of the pandemic and has continued the capacity building of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to help explore opportunities in overseas markets. "In the case of port handling, through the Export Development Council, we were able to lobby to the Department of Transportation and the Philippine Ports Authority to postpone rates on port operation until 2022. They identified major ports in the country to suspend temporarily the imposition of port rate increases," he said in a virtual business conference for Central Luzon Friday. Even at the height of the pandemic, Arnuco said the agency has been active in engaging MSMEs across the country for business matching and