Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III urged for reforms at the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) due to operational issues.
These concerns include high costs for exhibitors and a long-term lease agreement that he described as disadvantageous to the government.
Pimentel highlighted CITEM’s 50-year lease of a prime 4.9-hectare lot to the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) for only P1,000 per year.
The long-term lease contract was authorized by former Trade Secretary Rizalino Navarro on January 23, 1996, set for a duration of 50 years and renewable for an additional 25 years at the option of the lessee.
CITEM, a government-owned and controlled corporation, is mandated to develop, nurture, and promote micro, small, and medium enterprises, brands, designers, and manufacturers.
“CITEM is the owner of a prime lot covering 4.9 hectares, from which it is not earning reasonable revenues that could be utilized for its operations,” Pimentel said.
He also raised concerns about CITEM’s practice of passing at least 80 percent of its exhibition costs onto exhibitors in the form of participation fees, a move that has made it difficult for many small businesses to participate in overseas trade shows.
“The high cost of participating in the exhibits and expositions organized by CITEM is a major obstacle for small Filipino investors with quality products,” Pimentel said.
“CITEM seems to be facing numerous issues and challenges that hinder it from fully functioning and fulfilling its mandates,” he added.
