This newsletter is made possible by the generous support of the American People through the

United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this newsletter are the sole responsibility of the TRADE Project and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

The TRADE Project sponsored the 1st Focus Group

Discussion (FGD) on the enhanced cargo clearance process

under the Bureau of Custom’s (BoC) “Super Green Lane

(SGL) Program” on 4 February. The SGL facility, established

in 2000 under Executive Order 230, is a special customs pre-

arrival clearance service meant to improve trade facilitation

by giving advance cargo processing and clearance for the

country’s top, low-risk and qualified importers.

The FGD brought together officials of the BoC, key TRADE

personnel, and over 70 representatives from trusted

importers such as GE Philippines, Isuzu, Pfizer, Abbot

Laboratories and Samsung, among others, to exchange views

and share experiences and suggestions towards the future

direction of the SGL.

Deputy Commissioner Agaton O. Uvero enumerated

reforms the BoC intends to pursue in 2014, which include

automation of the customs-bonded warehouse system and

the streamlining of processes, particularly in the Ninoy

Aquino International Airport. He outlined a 2-step

accreditation process for SGL members currently being

finalized, wherein initial vetting is done by the BIR, and final

vetting performed by the BoC. A recent DoF Department

Order was already issued for this purpose. TRADE DCOP

Gareth Davies gave an overview of the TRADE project’s

aims in relation to customs, and stressed the responsibility of

SGL participants to make sure that an internal system of

checks and balances is in place.

During the Q&A, the BoC/TRADE panel gave feedback on

concerns expressed by the importers’ representatives.

Among the issues raised were the necessity of setting up a

Top importers laud FGD

on pre-arrival clearance process

Top left: The Q&A panel composed of BOC officials and TRADE DCOP

Gareth Davies (second from left) discusses concerns and issues with

representatives of the country’s top importers. Above: Ms. Nina

Manimtim of General Electric asks how the private sector could help as

partners in national progress.

permanent SGL office; the timetable and mechanics of the

SGL Plus, a program designed to meet the AEC Blueprint’s

average cargo clearance time of 45 minutes for most trusted

importers and to achieve truly paperless processing; and the

responsibilities of SGL members as well as customs brokers

in securing permits and other requirements.

The discussion was meant to consult with

the private sector to help determine how to

proceed with the SGL and further

encourage more active private participation.

A high point came when Ms. Nina S.

Manimtim, representative of General

Electric, said activities like this helped “open

the playing field for Philippines to have

international credibility,” and affirmed that

despite problems, “change does happen.”

She asked: “As credible partners for national progress,

what can we do? What support do you need from us, so

that this can be stabilized and sustained?” giving voice to

the private sector’s willingness to extend further help.

TRADE is assisting the BoC in implementing urgent

provisions of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC),

ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and Phil-US Trade

Facilitation Protocol (PUSTFP), particularly with providing a

pre-arrival cargo clearance process to authorized

operators.

FEBRUARY 2014

TRADE PROJECT STAFF 3F HERCO Center, 114 Benavidez St., Legazpi Village Makati City 1229

Chief of Party: Dr. Cielito F. Habito • Deputy Chief of Party: Gareth J. Davies • Senior Adviser for Trade Policy: Dr. Ramon

Clarete • Trade Policy Specialist: Myrene Bedaño • Component Lead for Trade Facilitation: Cecilia V. Reyes • Adviser for

Trade Facilitation: Edmund C. Guamen • Component Lead for Competition Policy: Gigo Alampay • Research Associate for

Competition Policy: Irish Krystle S. Almeida • Component Lead for Outreach and Advocacy: Katherine Fernandez •

Communications Specialist: Kimi Tuvera • Research Assistant: Abigail Dimalus • Program Officer: Mitos Q. Aldave •

Operations Manager: Paulino B. Bejer • Project Accountant: Imelda L. Mallari • Administrative Coordinator: Rose Catindoy

2 TRADE / FEBRUARY 2014

The Committee on ASEAN Economic Community (CAEC)

held a 3-day strategic and technical planning workshop, jointly

organized with the TRADE Project, from 19-21 February.

The activity was aimed at giving greater operational efficiency

and effectiveness to the secretariat of the CAEC, the

country’s oversight body for ASEAN economic and financial

cooperation, and provided TRADE the chance to determine

how the Project could further integrate into CAEC activities.

TRADE is largely focused on assisting the Philippines meet its

obligations under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)

and other free-trade agreements, thus helping the country

attain higher levels of trade, foreign direct investments and

inclusive growth. It is collaborating with the Department of

Trade and Industry (DTI), as Chair of the CAEC, to develop a

4Cs (Compliance, Competitiveness, Communication and

Collaboration) strategy to the AEC, which envisions a region

fully integrated into the global economy by 2015.

The workshop paved the way for the development of the

CAEC Work Plan 2014-2015 as well as operating guidelines

for CAEC’s secretariat function and for coordinating with its

Workshop, a move

closer to AEC TRADE’s Chief of Party, Dr. Cielito Habito, spoke at a forum

on ASEAN integration in Cebu City on 19 February. The

event, hosted by SGV & Co. and Cebu’s English daily Sun

Star, was designed to help the Cebu business community

prepare for AEC integration in 2015. It featured DTI

Secretary Gregory Domingo as the keynote speaker.

Dr. Habito began his presentation by introducing TRADE’s

objectives to the audience composed of Cebu’s business

leaders. He stressed Cebu’s ideal position as an economy

with vigorously export-oriented industries, in addition to

already being well-connected to the region via air and sea

transport. He went on to outline the challenges and

advantages of ASEAN integration, and expressed confidence

in the economy’s resilience, especially since the Philippine’s

trade relationships in ASEAN today are largely

complementary rather than competitive in nature.

TRADE, in partnership with private organizations such as the

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI),

provides technical assistance to government partner agencies

such as the DTI, NEDA, Bureau of Customs, etc., in order to

enhance trade and investment policy, trade facilitation,

competition policy, as well as widen public outreach and

advocacy of trade-related reforms.

TRADE COP Dr. Ciel Habito at the planning workshop with personnel

from selected key CAEC agencies.

TRADE COP

leads Cebu AEC forum

sub-committees and technical working groups. The planning

activity was participated in by personnel from selected key

CAEC agencies, with TRADE providing technical assistance

via resource persons, as well as administrative and logistics

support. A follow-up CAEC-wide action-planning workshop,

planned for mid-March, will give TRADE the opportunity to

present the AEC Compliance Plan, as well as the results of

the CGE modeling undertaken for Philippine participation in

AEC.

Deputy USTR stops

briefly in Manila

Deputy Assistant Trade Representative for Asia-

Pacific Karl Ehlers and USAID Mission Director

Gloria Steele are shown here in a 24 February

lunch meeting hosted by TRADE. Mr. Ehlers made

a few days’ stopover in Manila following a trip to

Singapore where the TPP ministerial meetings were

being held. With him in the photo are TRADE COP

Ciel Habito and DCOP Gareth Davies.