ProGED holds workshop on upgradingstrategies

CEBU, Philippines - The German-funded Promotion for Green Economic Development (ProGED) has accelerated its master plan for the upgrading and greening of the health and tourism value chain in Cebu in a workshop held at the Harolds Hotel.

The ProGED team gathered representatives from the two sectors who participated in a series of focused group discussions creating action plan in developing the sectors, including government agencies and other support sectors.

Already, the group has arrived in the strategic objective of offering light medical, dental and wellness tour packages, primarily to the overseas Filipinos, through product and market development.

With this core guiding principle, the Cebu Health and Wellness Council implemented action plans to motivate the stakeholders in upping their involvement with the project.

The health and wellness value chain began to take shape in 2008 using the value links methodology, a systemic and systematic approach to enhancing the competitiveness of value chains and fostering pro-poor growth. It was introduced by then German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), now GIZ.

In the whole day workshop yesterday, the group validated the upgrading strategies and activities of the health- and wellness tourism value chain in Cebu.

Soon, the group will also present environmental hotspots and proposed work packages to prepare the actual greening action plan of the chain.

Yesterday’s workshop was joined by the transportation group, tour operators, restaurants, spa and massage centers, clinic operators, among others.

Companies like Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, Nature’s Legacy, and Perpetual Soccour Hospital shared their own greening practices.

Earlier, GIZ ProGed project manager Volker Steigerwald said that aside from creating the avenue for stakeholders in health, wellness and tourism to implement greening policies in their respective operations, through technical support and know-how, GIZ will also link these companies to the ample institutions that provide financing access to green-related projects.     

He said the identified beneficiaries of the three-year project will be matched with different financial institutions that are offering assistance for companies implementing green operations. 

In Cebu, the project, which got an allocation of three million Euros from Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), identified the health and wellness sector as the primary beneficiary, and Bohol for its eco-tourism.

In spite of the threat of climate change and environmental stress, ProGED looks at green economic development  as a driver for competitiveness, innovation, new markets and jobs which will contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction.

According to Steigerwald, the project will focus on three important dimensions in shifting the economic system away from carbon footprint—in massive information awareness, business matching/facilitation and providing green framework activities.

The project, which is in partnership with the Philippine government through the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), aims to pursue its objective along these three intervention lines, and will build on gains and experiences of the previous program jointly implemented by GIZ and DTI which ended last December 2012, the Private Sector Promotion (SMEDSEP) program.

Steigerwald said the chances of the Philippines to lead in the green economic transformation are very high, considering its good economic performance.    

“We use this opportunity that economy is doing very well in the Philippines as a step to improve competitiveness among MSMEs. The Philippines, being seen to be the next economic tiger in Asia in five years, can learn from Germany [in terms of adopting green economic development],” said Steigerwald.

Adopting green operation, Steigerwald said it's not just to “save the earth,” but also a “business case” for MSMEs to be competitive and profitable.

In Germany, for instance, investors are asking for sustainability initiatives of the Philippines.

The implementation of ProGED  will complement the upswing economic performance and positive impression of international investors to the Philippines, he added. —/JMD (FREEMAN)