Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and South Korea have the potential to grow bilateral trade to over $20 billion over the next five years through greater cooperation.  “I think if we try very hard and if we improve the (business) environment, it will not be difficult for us to see two-way trade to surpass $20 billion in the near future… within five years,” South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Hyuk told reporters during the Philippines-Korea Economic Council (Philkorec) Induction of Officers and new members. Two-way trade between the Philippines and South Korea amounted to around $12 billion last year. For the countries’ bilateral trade to breach $20 billion in the next five years, Lee said both parties would have to work together in terms of promoting each other’s manufactured goods and services. Apart from increasing bilateral trade, Lee said there are also opportunities to increase South Korean firms’ investments in the Philippines. “But this will only be if there is an improved environment for investment, so we want the Philippine government to improve investment environment for foreign companies,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 For his part, Philkorec chairman Gerardo Garcia told reporters the council plans to organize inbound missions of Korean firms to the country, as well as outbound missions of Philippine firms to South Korea, to promote greater trade and investment relations between the two countries. The missions would be organized with business groups such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Read More …

CEBU. Maria Teresa Borja (above left) of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center based in Brussels, Belgium says the Philippines had to meet the EU’s vulnerability criteria and ratify 27 core international conventions on human rights, labor, environmental protection and good governance.  Export Development Bureau Director Senen Perlada (above right)said that it is important for exporters to also ensure their products pass European standards. “The EU-GSP+ is just gravy on the steak. Ultimately, it is the quality that will determine your marketability.” (Arni Aclao) ALTHOUGH the Philippines’ inclusion in the European Union’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (EU-GSP+) means it has an edge over other countries in the tariff lines, the Department of Trade and Industry wants exporters to know that it is in the quality of their goods that ensures their products are successfully traded in this region. In yesterday’s information session, Export Development Bureau Director Senen Perlada said that it is important for exporters to also ensure their products pass European standards. ‘Just gravy on steak’ “The EU-GSP+ is just gravy on the steak. Ultimately, it is the quality that will determine your marketability. While we can take advantage of these preferential trading agreements. We should not put all our eggs in there,” Perlada said. The EU has three types of GSP arrangements–the regular GSP, the GSP+ and the Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement. Before its inclusion into the GSP+, the Philippines was already a beneficiary of the regular GSP, which offers zero duties for selected non-sensitive products Read More …

Keeping the items used by a pope has been a tradition among Filipinos and so it will be for those touched by Pope Francis during his five-day pastoral visit in the Philippines.  According to Bro. Carmel Cortez, who was assigned to arrange and organize the items the Pope used in his Masses in Manila, said they will be put in display at the Diocese of Malolos in Bulacan.  Meanwhile, the tableware and utensils Pope Francis used in Leyte during his lunch with the Yolanda and Bohol quake survivors are now kept at the Archbishop Residence of Palo.  “Mahalaga ho ang mga ito kaya kailangan na ilagay ang mga ito sa lugar kung saan napre-preserve ang kahalagahan ng mga bagay na ito at ma-access ng ating mga kababayan,” Archdiocese of Palo spokesman Fr. Arthur Chris Militante said in a report on 24 Oras that aired on Tuesday.  What about the Pope? It looks like the pope also wants to treasure a few things he used in the Philippines. The Pinoy-made vestments he used during his Masses in Manila Cathedral and Luneta are now in the Vatican.  These bear Filipino accents like sampaguita, anahaw, and the Sto. Niño de Cebu.  Ronald Allan Babaran, one of the designers of the Pope’s vestments, couldn’t believe that their creations were brought to the Holy See.  “Hindi kami makapaniwala na ‘yung mga ginawa namin ay gagamitin niya pala… Sobrang blessing kasi Santo Papa ‘yan eh,” he shared. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News