By Komfie Manalo
The Marcos administration has put forward an inter-agency plan to allow struggling Filipino entrepreneurs to sell their products overseas seamlessly and nearly effortlessly.
Acting Trade secretary Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque said the Department of Trade and Industry is collaborating with the Department of Foreign Affairs to allow Philippine embassies to become a channel to sell "proudly Pinoy" products in missions abroad.
"We really plan to have it in all Philippine Embassies all over the world because we need the Embassies to represent the Philippine MSME products and the Philippine products so we can also show the people of that country what we have and the Philippine pride," Roque said.
According to Roque, the initiative would provide the proper exposure to promote local products and compete in the global market. The move will also allow micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to export their products by eliminating the usual barrier in cross-border trade.
DTI is taking an "aggressive approach" and expects the program's rollout to start in the next three months, she said. Initially, rood and non-food Filipino products, including pearls from Mindanao and halal products, are being considered for sale.
"There are pearls from Mindanao that have won the European award. Another thing that we will also have an aggressive approach to is the halal products - we recognize the sales it could give us, which is the 3.3 trillion US dollars global market," Roque said.
With the program already in the pipeline, DTI is assuring that MSMEs that will set up shop in Philippine Embassies are fully registered and compliant with export requirements and quality standards.
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