Website focuses on trade potentials in BIMP-EAGA

www.ugnayan.net, the first multi-dimensional Philippine-based website focusing on trade and investment opportunities in the key cities of the Philippines and in different places in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) officially went online this week.

The site reinforces the Philippines’ bid to become the top source of medical transcription services. It also provides a venue for mayors and governors in the Philippines and areas under the BIMP-EAGA to promote the beauty and investment attractiveness of their respective cities and provinces to the world for free.

www.ugnayan.net also offers news and information about the Philippines on a daily basis as major national and regional papers are listed in its News Link Section.

Jaime Manejero, a Filipino technical advisor based in Indonesia who founded and conceptualized www.ugnayan.net, said the website was created in response to the Philippine government’s challenge to the private sector to contribute what it does best - provide the creativity, capital and energy in information technology to fuel economic growth, opportunity and prosperity.

The government, in its approved Investment Priorities Plan for 2000, explicitly designates information technology as a priority business area, thus giving investors access to incentives offered in this plan.

The website is divided into different sections, foremost of which is eMarket, which offers a venue for anyone to list for free products or services they wish to sell in the Philippines.

In the same manner, anyone who wishes to buy products or services can just click in any key city or industry of their interest in the Philippines or in any identified city or area in the BIMP-EAGA.

The eMarket Section encourages buyers and sellers to include pictures of products or services they want posted, with short attractive descriptions to enhance their marketability.

Inasmuch as those who contributed in conceptualizing the site are Filipino expatriates from different countries, thus there will be special country links. Indonesia will have the IndoPhil Link; later there will be the SingPhil Link, JapPhil Link and the USPhil Link. Thus, businessmen are assured wider coverage as there will be an Ugnayan coordinator in each of these countries to further publicize their product and services and, at the same time, distribute the Ugnayan Newsletter in the Filipino community of the various "linked" countries.