Phl optimistic on ASEAN integration

CEBU, Philippines - While the private sector is still jittery on the downside effect of the ASEAN Integration next year, the Philippine government is optimistic that the Philippines will be a major force in making the region highly competitive.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) secretary Mario Montejo said that promoting the science and technology (S&T) agenda embodied under the department's umbrella program, "Smarter Philippines," can also help the country attain the global leadership.

According to Montejo, DOST is accelerating its agenda in key result areas of the medium-term Philippine Development Plan to prop up the country towards global competitiveness.

"One major pit stop is the imminent ASEAN integration 2015 in which we expect the country to be a major force in making this economic region highly competitive with equitable economic development and fully integrated into the global economy," said Montejo.

In an interview with PhilExport-Cebu executive director Fred Escalona, he said that aside from the sloppy demand of Philippine export products abroad, the export sector is also facing another challenge trying to understand its positioning in the ASEAN integration in 2015.

"Exporters need to understand more about the ASEAN integration-its opportunity and how are they going to protect their turf when this borderless regional economy will be opened," Escalona said.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president Lito Maderazo likewise said that business sector still has to understand the effects of the integration. While there are opportunities coming up, the sector should also be warned by its downside effects so that they will be much prepared for new set up of economic flow.   

Montejo, on the other, said that S&T, particularly through information and communication technology (ICT), plays an important role in accelerating the country's economic growth through the latest scientific knowledge and technological breakthroughs.

"Our global environment is rapidly moving forward. Transformation tools such as smart technologies are the keys that open the gateways to novel and exciting opportunities for all Filipinos," he said in a statement.

Montejo underscored that the Smarter Philippines contains DOST's roadmap in helping every Filipino experience inclusive economic growth through science and technology.

The secretary stressed that under one of the program's components, Smart Agriculture, the department is poising its research and development (R&D) on diverse farm and fishery commodities to ensure local food security and gain a foothold in the world market.

Meanwhile, Montejo added that the smarter economy, a two-fold program for the industry and for micro and small and medium enterprise (MSMEs) could also help businesses to gain global competitiveness advantage.

Other components of Smarter Philippines include Smarter Government, Smarter People, Smarter Mobility, Smarter Environment, Smarter Living and Smarter Cities.

This program is seen to help the country, take a major role in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which will start next year. /JMD (FREEMAN)