Engr. Herman M. Lagon, Ph.D.

The Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) and the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas (DA WV) have reaffirmed their commitment to expand their collaborative efforts in agricultural research, extension, instruction, and production. This commitment was showcased during the turnover and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Livestock Economic Enterprise Development (LEED) Program’s “Building Resilience in Developing Goat Multiplier Enterprise (BRIDGE)” project on Thursday, April 18, at the ISUFST Dingle Campus Agri Ecotourism Farm in Barangay Bongloy, Dingle, Iloilo.

Funded by a Php 2.5 million grant from the Department of Agriculture, the project aims to bolster local goat production and consumption. The Goat Multiplier Farm Project is specifically designed to improve the local community’s socio-economic conditions by promoting goat milk and meat. Key project activities include developing infrastructure like pastures and housing, acquiring livestock, and supplying necessary tools, equipment, and resources such as feeds, veterinary drugs, and biologics.

Dr. Nordy Siason, Jr., President of ISUFST, expressed the university’s readiness to intensify collaborations with the DA. “Rest assured, ISUFST is ready to share income or expenses with more DA-collab projects,” he stated. Dr. Siason also mentioned a corresponding equity of PhP 1.8 million for the Goat Multiplier Project and his commitment to dedicate his remaining years as president to improving the university’s agriculture program offered in the Dingle and San Enrique campuses. “That’s how we define collaboration and partnership,” he said.

Corollary to this, Dr. Siason also emphasized his plan to hire more faculty further and improve the program’s facilities. He also encouraged the community to campaign for goat’s meat and milk as consumption alternatives, including schools. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Glenn L. Mariano, Assistant Division Chief of the Field Operations Division of DA WV, praised ISUFST’s efficiency in project implementation. “ISUFST is one of the benchmarks in the way they work with the Department of Agriculture,” Mariano remarked, adding, “That is why we encourage the school to look for more areas where we can collaborate for the development of our agriculture industry in the region. 

Mariano further noted, “We are fourth in goat production in the Philippines, but consumption is low, so most of the production is exported to other regions. We need to promote goat consumption for meat and milk.” As of 2023, the consumption per capita (the amount each person, on average, consumes over a year) is half a kilo for goats, while it is 15 kilos and 14 kilos for pork and poultry, respectively.

“Soon, our central office will monitor and evaluate the project. This will be the marker for future availment of more projects with DA,” Mariano stated, expressing hope for the project’s impact on the community and potential platform for more DA-ISUFST partnerships. He represented DA on behalf of Undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias Victor Savellano and DA WV Regional Executive Director Dr. Dennis Arpa, due to prior appointments.

The ceremony also included a project overview by DA WV Livestock Program Report Officer Ms. Fernie Rose Dato-on, who highlighted the project’s dual focus on boosting local goat populations and improving community livelihoods. 

The event was likewise attended by Dr. Noli Gerona, Dean of the College of Agriculture, who linked the project to the broader goals of the university in academics, extension, and research, enhancing the university’s overarching La Guerta Project’s scope beyond production.

International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has received regulatory approvals to operate and develop the Visayas Container Terminal (VCT), the international seaport of Iloilo City in central Philippines. This 25-year concession strengthens ICTSI’s presence in the Philippines and will unlock the economic potential of the Western Visayas region.

ICTSI received a Notice to Proceed on April 15 to operate Iloilo’s international seaport, following a review by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC). ICTSI will focus on improving terminal productivity and service quality by investing in the development and rehabilitation of the terminal infrastructure and the deployment of cargo-handling equipment.

Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI executive vice president, said: “The Visayas Container Terminal (VCT) is poised to become a catalyst for Iloilo’s economic and social growth. We’re thrilled to begin operations and transform the Iloilo Port into a world-class gateway for the Central Philippines. Our significant investments in modern infrastructure, cargo-handling equipment, and operational efficiency will drive this transformation.”

Strategically located VCT serves as a vital gateway for the province of Iloilo, the entire Panay Island, and the wider Western Visayas region. Its natural harbor in the Panay Gulf, sheltered by Guimaras Island, provides a safe and ideal environment for ships and vessels.

While the seaport plays a crucial role in regional trade, capacity and efficiency constraints have held back its full potential. ICTSI’s involvement will transform the port, addressing these challenges and unlocking its economic benefits. The port will be operated exclusively to serve foreign vessels and cargoes, with a provision for domestic vessels and cargoes in the initial five years.

The seaport handles a current volume of 100,000 TEUs and 2 million metric tons of non-containerized cargo annually. It features 627 meters of operational quay length and 20 hectares of land dedicated to container and general cargo storage, warehousing, and other cargo-handling activities. – International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI)

Personal accessories brands must comply with regulations while effectively communicating sustainability initiatives and making sustainable products affordable and accessible, according to a report released by market research firm Euromonitor International Ltd.

Fatima Linares, Insight Manager of Fashion Americas at Euromonitor International, said challenges such as geopolitical issues, cost-of-living crises and slow recovery in China, pose obstacles for the personal accessories industry in 2024 even after posting stronger growth last year.     

“Despite these challenges, the industry is expected to be shaped by macro trends including sustainability regulations, digital transformation, and shifting consumer habits,” she said in a report published by the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau.    

Linares said governments are increasingly pushing for sustainable business models, with regulations expected in the United States and European Union.

Consumer pessimism regarding their impact on the environment poses challenges, including concerns about high prices and unclear labeling, she said.

As their digital transformation journey continues, the report said both direct-to-customer brands and traditional retailers invested in online channels, underscoring digital presence alongside offline offerings.

“Artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, is expected to reshape the industry, with professionals highlighting its impact on various aspects of the business, from design to predicting trends,” it said.

The report also cited emerging consumer trends which brands must also adapt, such as value hacking, sustainability concerns and the influence of new technologies on purchasing behaviors.

“Navigating these trends will be crucial for the industry to thrive in 2024 and beyond, requiring agile responses and innovative strategies to meet evolving consumer demands,” it added. 

The Philippines should seize the opportunity to further develop its digital economy as it is key to job creation and long-term economic growth, according to AMRO.

The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office or AMRO in a new blog post said it is essential that the country shifts to a more technology-driven economy as it will generate needed jobs while also improving productivity and competitiveness in the longer term.

The digital economy in the Philippines contributed 9.4% to GDP in 2022, an increase of 11% from the previous year. The sector employed about 6 million people in 2022 or 13% of the total employment. As of end-2022, digital payments accounted for 42.1% of the total volume of payments. The digital banking landscape continues to expand and now comprises six digital banks and 285 fintech companies.

This signals that the country is on the right track in the formulation of policies that promote digitalization, said Andrew Tsang, AMRO’s country economist for the Philippines, in his blog post.

However, the government needs to resolve some challenges for digitalization endeavors to be successful.  Tsang said actions and measures that can be undertaken include upgrading labor skills and updating regulations, and enhancing cyber security against digital threats and vulnerabilities.

“Despite significant progress, there is room for the country’s digital infrastructure development to catch up with its ASEAN peers,” said Tsang.

He noted that the country lags behind its regional peers in key areas of digital development such as digital transformation and trade, digital government and digital security.

Among the challenges the country needs to overcome is the absence of reliable and high-speed internet connections in most rural and remote areas as this could hinder digital inclusion and economic development, Tsang said.

It is also important for the Philippines to upgrade its soft infrastructure for economic digitalization. “For example, the digital skill gaps among the labor force, people’s resistance to digital transformation, and regulatory gaps and loopholes would need to be addressed effectively,” said Tsang.

Moreover, there is a need to develop and implement appropriate regulations in a timely manner. The economist noted how it is hard for the country’s regulatory framework to catch up with the relentless development of technology, such as artificial intelligence, block chain, the Internet of Things, and big data.

“Appropriate regulations on the use of digitalization would need to be put in place to safeguard consumers from digital threats and vulnerabilities,” he said.

Citing cyber security and anti-virus provider Kaspersky, Tsang said the Philippines was the second most attacked nation in cyberspace in 2022. The country’s largest telecommunication company recorded 16 billion cyber attacks in 2023, nearly 90 times higher than in 2022. The country also ranked 45th among 175 countries in terms of national-level preparedness to prevent cyber threats in the 2023 National Cyber Security Index of the e-Governance Academy, he said.

“To ensure a smooth digitalization process, the authorities should prioritize its investment in infrastructure development, enhance digital skills of the workforce, and strengthen the regulatory framework,” Tsang concluded

Singapore has unveiled its innovative strategies and best practices toward plastic circularity as the highly advanced city-state seeks to reach its vision for circular economy by 2030.

Santhosh Manivannan, director for policy at the National Environment Agency, highlighted in a recent presentation the three-step strategy the Singaporean government is currently implementing to achieve circularity of resources.

He said the first step is to set clear policy directions, noting its importance for the private sector in particular. “We need to be very clear about what our strategy is and what our goals are so there’s a clear direction for travel for everyone,” Manivannan explained.

In line with this, Singapore launched its Zero Waste Masterplan in 2019, which has initially identified plastics, toothpaste and e-waste as priority waste streams. “In doing so we set ourselves very ambitious goals to increase our overall recycling rate to 70% and to reduce waste to landfill per capita per day by 30% by 2030,” said Manivannan.

After direction setting, the next step is to implement various initiatives to achieve circularity goals. “To catalyze the shift, we passed the Resource Sustainability Act in 2019 and mandated the annual reporting of packaging data and the submission of reduce, reuse, recycle plans to the National Environment Agency by producers of packaged products,” according to Manivannan.

At the same time, the Resource Sustainability Act introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Framework where producers are required to bear the responsibility for the sustainable end-of-life treatment of their products.

We started with an EPR scheme for e-waste and we are also exploring the feasibility of expanding to other wastes including packaging waste from e-commerce, the environment official said.

After setting the policy direction and putting initiatives and regulations in place comes the third step, which is to execute “behavioral nudges” designed to change consumers’ way of handling plastics, said Manivannan.

“If you shop in any of our major supermarkets today you’ll be aware of the disposable carrier bag charge which is intended to nudge us to bring our own reusable bags and reduce our use of plastic bags. And at hawker centers, for example, where most of the Singaporeans will eat their meals, the use of disposables for dine-in meals was actually disallowed.”

And to complement all these measures, Manivannan said the government is working together with the industry as well. “(We) reached out to the businesses and consumers to communicate the message of reduce, reuse, and recycle and the reasons why we should all come together to change our behavior and habits.”

He added: “We believe that, over time, these nudges and these behavioral efforts will also pay dividends as we embrace a more sustainable production and consumption across the community.”

Meanwhile, Singaporean companies also shared their efforts to actualize plastic circularity in their workplace.

Jerid Soo, assistant general manager at Singaporean shipping company Pacific International Lines, emphasized that there are “common and accessible levers” companies can apply to mitigate plastic wastage.

These levers include reducing waste generation by changing business and administrative processes. For example, companies can switch to paper tape instead of cellulose tape or use tablets instead of printing and laminating things, said Soo.

Another lever is to facilitate recycling by improving access and removing barriers to this activity. Increase the recycling rate by making it easy for the employee to recycle plastic materials and aluminum cans, and by setting up facilities for collecting these materials and bringing them to recycling centers, Soo suggested.

The third lever entails the education and cultivation of a green-minded workforce through engagement and outreach programs. Make use of the many different avenues to educate your people and let them understand the impact of their actions on marine life thousands of miles away, he said. “If you are going to affect marine life you are going to have all this micro plastic in your food, for example.”

On the other hand, Semula Pte Ltd, a startup and social enterprise, tackles plastic pollution by collecting and processing plastic wastes into useful materials.

Jeryl Yep, co-founder and innovation lead of Semula, said the company is helping to solve the waste problem in Singapore by reducing plastic waste that would have gone to landfills and incineration plants and by easing pressure on natural resources through processing plastic waste into alternative materials.

“What we are trying to do here us to find applications for the waste in different industries that previously were not considered,” he added. “These can be used by businesses such as fabricators, builders, designers, and artists to reduce the need for new or virgin resources such as stones, wood, and marble.”

Filipino exporters, particularly of agricultural products, manufacturing goods and services, are advised to sell more to other large markets with high product demand in a bid to unlock the Philippines’ unrealized export potential of $49 billion.  

Rami Hourani, national project coordinator at the International Trade Centre (ITC), said East Asia remains to be the largest market but North America, European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also hold important growth potential.      

“The Philippines as a whole should really focus on value-addition and technological advancement,” he said during the second quarter general membership meeting of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) on April 16.

In the agriculture sector, Hourani identified single products and simple value chains that can support diversification and increase exports in the short to medium run, including bananas, pineapple and tuna.

He said there are also complex value chains with high export potential such as coconut products, cocoa and related products, and processed foods.

Hourani said coffee is not currently among the Philippines’ products with export potential but is among the top products with diversification potential.

“That is to say that if we began to export coffee, there might be essentially a blue ocean of opportunities to capitalize on by the enterprising exporter. Currently, we are a net importer of coffee, mostly unroasted. If coffee beans become more competitive, the country can essentially cover the entire value chain,” he said.

Hourani said other interesting product categories with opportunities are bamboo and rattan, and spices particularly crushed or ground pepper.

“Large shares of these export potentials are still completely unrealized and that is to say exporter for these commodities, you will likely be the first to do so,” he added.

In the manufacturing sector, Hourani said sectors that are technologically advanced and exhibit important growth opportunities include motor vehicles and parts; plastics and rubber; optical products, watches and medical instruments; and machinery and electricity.

To balance the dominance of electronics, he underscored the need to employ two complementary approaches –increase exports in specific export products (existing and new) with promising growth potential, and raise the number of products exported.

Hourani said new potential export products facing high market demand include motor vehicles for the transport of persons, as well as reception apparatus for television, palm oil excluding crude and fractions, coffee and rubber gloves.

In services, Hourani said top sectors with export potential for the Philippines are other business services, travel, information technology, computer and telecommunications technology.

Meanwhile, Hourani said exporting to the EU requires knowledge of applicable tariff rates, the compliance with rules of origin, registration with the EU Registered Exporter (REX) system, and knowledge of market access and regulatory requirements.

He said domestic requirements for exporting to the EU include business registration, registration with the Bureau of Customs, and obtaining necessary permits and clearances.

Hourani said the ARISE Plus Philippines project has developed business guides on exporting to the EU market

“These EU business guides were developed in close coordination with DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), as well as exporters, to respond to the challenges of the exporters, understand and comply with key technical and regulatory requirements to export to the EU markets and address other challenges faced by MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), as well as new exporters,” he added.

Hourani said additional resources for exporting to the EU include the EU’s Access2Markets portal, the EU’s GSP (Generalized Scheme of Preferences) Hub, ITC Standards Map, ITC Rules of Origin Facilitator and the Philippine National Trade Repository, Tradenet and Tradeline.