WOULD-BE exporters can explore government contracting to establish a domestic track record prior to venturing into exports, the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) said.
In a statement, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc., said that businesses should take advantage of the Tatak Pinoy Act.
PITC Vice-President for International Trading Services Joel S. Rodriguez said: “Priority is being given to domestic industries supplying the government under the Tatak Pinoy law.”
Signed into law in February, the Tatak Pinoy (or Proudly Filipino) Act aims to help industries raise their quality standards and drive up the value of their goods and services.
“It is a good tactic to supply to the government because it has the biggest budget for procurement,” Mr. Rodriguez said.
“Under countertrade, we also obligate foreign suppliers to buy from the Philippines. As of to date, we have generated countertrade deals of over $500 million,” he added.
He said interested businesses should register with the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System and look at the list of items required by the government.
“Would-be exporters are being encouraged to do business with the government because buyers often ask how well the supplier has been performing in the local market,” he said.
“So it is very important for the exporters to establish a good track record in the domestic market … chances that exporters will penetrate mainstream overseas markets will improve if they have a track record in the domestic market,” he added.
Mr. Rodriguez noted the growing demand for food products, furniture, decor, and handicrafts, though buying behavior is changing.
“It is notable that foreign buyers now prefer to buy in smaller quantities from different sources and no longer purchase in bulk,” he said.
“The export market is open to micro, small and medium enterprise producers that have export-ready products that offer competitive prices and comply with international standards,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
