By Jojo Montemayor
President Duterte recently formed the Philippine Trade Facilitation Committee (PTFC) that would oversee the streamlining and implementation of a simpler and efficient customs rules and procedures that would allow micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate more actively in international trade.
The President, in issuing Executive Order No 136 last May, also realizes the country’s compliance with the World Trade Organization-Trade facilitation Agreement (WTO-FTA) that it signed in October 2016 and ratified in February 2017.
Under the WTO-FTA, the member state shall establish and maintain a national committee on trade facilitation for domestic coordination and implementation of the agreement.
“To faithfully comply with our commitments under the WTO-FTA, there is a need to establish a body which would streamline and improve customs procedures and facilitate the implementation of rational, efficient and simple customs rules which will reduce the cost of trade transactions and enable micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to participate more actively in international trade,” the EO read.
It added that the PTFC will be co-chaired by the Department of Finance and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) while the Bureau of Customs shall act as the vice-chairperson.
The members are the Department of Agriculture, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Tariff Commission, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, DTI-Bureau of International Trade Relations, DTI-Bureau of Import Services, Food and Drug Administration and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
Among the function of the PTFC are: to study, propose and coordinate the position, activities or actions of the Philippine government on matters pertaining to the implementation of the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments; and to represent and advance the interests of the Philippines in meetings on the implementation of the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments.
PTFC may also call on the assistance of and coordinate with relevant government agencies and stakeholders on various trade and trade-related concerns covered by the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments; submit appropriate and timely reports on the compliance of the Philippines with the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments; and undertake outreach, advocacy, capacity-building and studies among its members and stakeholders to increase awareness of the best practices and benefits of trade facilitation;
It can also propose to the NEDA Board Committee on Tariff and Related Matters (CTRM) trade regulations, measures and practices which are consistent with the objectives of the WTO-TFA and other trade facilitation commitments, to expedite movement, release and clearance of goods; and coordinate with the Anti-Red Tape Authority to ensure compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 or the “Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018,” in relation to trade facilitation.
