The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it is working with South Korea to develop digital tools aimed at simplifying the export process for Filipino businesses.
The delegation sought to learn from Korea’s support programs and initiatives as part of the Korean-funded Origin Management System for the Promotion of FTAs in the Philippines Project.
“We see immense potential in this project to boost Philippine exports by simplifying the exporting process and leveraging FTAs,” said Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo who led a business delegation to South Korea to benchmark their support programs for free trade agreements (FTAs).
“We are thankful for the support that the Korean government has extended to the Philippines to support our Philippine exporters ahead of the entry into force of the Philippines-Korea FTA,” he said.
The system will be complemented by an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool to help exporters identify the correct harmonized system (HS) codes for their products.
These export tools aim to significantly reduce the time and cost associated with complying with FTA and Generalized Systems of Preferences (GSPs) requirements.
Rodolfo said the initiative aligns with the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2023-2028, which focuses on strengthening institutions that support export development.
Other local programs supporting Filipino exporters such as the Juan for the World (JFTW) program that provides financial assistance to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for registering trademarks internationally.