DTI to strengthen partnership with private sector on road maps

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) intends to strengthen its partnership with the private sector through the industry road map initiative to push for the sustained development of the manufacturing sector and achieve inclusive growth as five sectors have reported gains in the implementation of their respective industry road maps.

Speaking at the gathering of industry champions organized by the DTI yesterday, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said the industry road map initiative launched by the department in 2012 has become more important now that the country is looking to sustain its strong economic performance and making it more inclusive.

“The road maps are of great importance. We really need to work together, private sector and government and try to plot out how to achieve long-term sustainable inclusive growth,” he said.

The industry road map initiative which involves the crafting of strategies to promote the growth of specific industries is being pursued as it plays a big role in the government’s aim to sustain the country’s positive economic performance and make the growth beneficial to everyone including the poor.

“The road maps are important because it is hard to imagine sustained economic growth not felt by everyone. If not felt, it can lead to social divide and that will be a big problem,” Domingo said.

He also said it is important for the government and the private sector to continue to work together to update the road maps to ensure that the strategies remain relevant.

Since the initiative was launched in 2012, five sectors have seen gains in the implementation of their respective industry road maps.

Philippine Die and Mold Association Inc. president Philip Ang said in the same event the tool and die industry is among the sectors which have made achievements in the implementation of the road map as a die and mould solution center offering state-of-the-art equipment which can be used by firms at reasonable rates as well as a pilot training program for die and mould making were launched last year.

For his part, Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) executive director Salvio Valenzuela Jr. said the furniture industry grew by 44 percent last year with the implementation of the industry road map.

He said the concerns of the local furniture industry on the European Union’s timber regulation preventing the circulation of wood from illegal logging in the bloc has also been addressed with the CFIP coming up with a compliance guide book for furniture makers exporting to that market.

For mass housing, the sector has been able to provide estimates on the country’s housing backlog and identify strategies to address such.