DTI steps up info drive on ASEAN free trade

TACLOBAN CITY, July 27-- The Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) is stepping up its awareness drive on Free Trade Area (FTA) to potential exporters in the countryside. 

The agency brought its information campaign session Thursday to this city to talk about the benefits of doing business under FTA among 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

The trade department has been leading the information drive campaign in different parts of the country to help business leaders, industry groups, and other stakeholders appreciate the concept of trade deals. 

“We need to maximize the existing benefit of FTA by imparting information on the opportunities to our stakeholders, especially our exporters,” DTI-EMB Assitant Director Agnes Legaspi said. 

Joining the Tacloban leg of information session are officials from government agencies and 22 exporters from the six provinces of the region. 

Among the topics discussed were registering businesses in exporting, accreditation processes, tariff classifications, and the rules of origin. They also held one-on-one mentoring with exporters. 

The ASEAN Free Trade Area is a trade bloc agreement supporting local manufacturing in all member states. (Angelica N. Royo, OJT/PNA)