Info portal aids higher FTA use

The country’s exporters are set to benefit from the launch of the comprehensive portal of Free Trade Agreements on 2 December 2024, helping Philippine exporters determine if their products can utilize FTAs and determine how they are taking advantage of these agreements that the country signed into.

According to the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., (PHILEXPORT) the FTA information portal aims to make available and accessible a comprehensive set of FTA or Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)-related resources, including copies of the agreements, export guides, utilization data and rules of origin simulator, among others.

These are intended to promote higher utilization of trade preferences by Philippine businesses.

The portal is one of the components of the Origin Management System for the Promotion of FTAs in the Philippines Project, in partnership with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT).

This is the first project embarked on by the KIAT outside of Korea and is a milestone achievement based on a stronger Philippines-Korea partnership.

The Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau serves as the implementing lead for the Philippines side, while the PHILEXPORT is engaged as the private sector lead.

Portal developer InterCommerce Network Services Inc. president and chief executive officer Francis Lopez earlier said the OMS project could significantly reduce the processing time for the certificates of origin.

Lopez said the OMS is targeted to be launched or implemented by the third or fourth quarter of 2025.

The launching of the Philippine FTA information portal will be part of the activities of the 2024 National Exporters’ Week, which will be held from 2 December to 6 at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

Kang Sung Young and Lee Jang Pyo of Korea Trade Network will demonstrate key features and portal functionalities.