TAMBULI Weekly Newsletter The Official e-Newsletter of the Federation of Philippine Industries

Volume 15 Issue No. 46 25 November 2011 ______

1st PHILIPPINE MANUFACTURERS AND PRODUCERS SUMMIT SUCCESSFULLY HELD

The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) has successfully conducted The First Philippine Manufacturers and Producers Summit 2011 last Thursday, November 24, 2011 at the Hotel InterContinental , City. The summit gathered all stakeholders to raise awareness of the strategic importance of the manufacturing and producing sectors in creating inclusive and sustainable economic growth for the .

FPI Chairman Jesus Lim Arranza, together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory L. Domingo, rendered their opening remarks to jumpstart the event.

Subsequently, speakers from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Philippine Institute of Developmental Studies (PIDS) shared their research and insights on impact of manufacturing and producing to sustaining long term economic growth for the Philippines. Thereafter, corporate speakers representing manufacturing and producing in the Philippines also shared their success and challenges in the domestic and export markets. They, likewise, shared their recommendations and vision for the Manufacturing and Production Sectors of the Philippines.

The Summit also included the FPI Sustainable Development awarding ceremony which was spearheaded by Mr. Ernesto Ordoñez, Chairman of the FPI Sustainable Development Committee. In addition, the Federation took time out to acknowledge its new members.

Penultimate speeches relating to the path forward for Philippine manufacturing and production were given by Mr. George Chua, President of the FPI, and DTI Undersecretary Atty. Adrian Cristobal. Finally, the closing speech was delivered by FPI Chairman Emeritus Meneleo Carlos, Jr. The

Relative thereto, the soft copies of the presentations by the economic speakers Dr. Josef Yap and Dr. Norio Usui of PIDS and ADB, respectively, during the summit have already been forwarded to all FPI members and summit attendees. Interested parties may also secure a copy from the FPI Secretariat.

Summit sponsors included the CIIF Oil Mills Group, Dow Chemical Pacific, Ltd., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation and Pacific Paint (Boysen) Phils. with the support of PIDS and ADB.

Chairman of the organizing committee, who also served as the emcee and moderator, is FPI Director Roberto F. Batungbacal, Country Manager of Dow Chemical Pacific, Ltd. Mr. Mario Jose Sereno was the co-moderator during the afternoon session of the summit.

2 DOTC CONSULTATIVE MEETING

The Department of Transportation and Communications has invited the Federation of Philippine Industries to a Consultative Meeting with the maritime agencies, shipping industry, terminal operators, shippers & other stakeholders regarding the decongestion of Manila Port by diverting container traffic in Batangas and Subic Ports on Monday, November 28, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. at the DOTC Multi-Purpose Hall Conference Room, 16 th Floor, Columbia Tower, Ortigas Avenue, Barangay Wack-Wack, .

TARIFF COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2012 VERSION OF THE ASEAN HARMONIZED TARIFF NOMENCLATURE (AHTN)

The Tariff Commission has invited the Federation of Philippine industries to a public hearing/ consultation on the implementation of the 2012 version of the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) to form part of Section 104 of the TCCP . The 2012 version of the AHTN nomenclature consists of approximately nine thousand five hundred and sixty six (9,566) lines. The schedule of said public hearing is on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. at the Tariff Commission Conference Room, 5 th Floor Philippine Heart Center Building, East Avenue, Diliman, .

For inquiries, you may coordinate at the Planning, Management and Information Systems Divison (PMISD) at telephone number (02) 929-1964.

DTI/BOI - BRIEFING ON INVESTING IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Board of Investments has invited the Federation of Philippine Industries to a briefing on “ Investing in the Philippines ” on December 5, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the BDO Auditorium, BDO Building Makati Avenue, Makati City.

One of the advocacies of the DTI/BOI is to create awareness and update their distinguished partners in the private sector about the investments promotion initiatives and services that they may offer to clients.

For further information and inquiries, you may coordinate to Ms. Mila Lacsina at telephone numbers 890-9307, 895-3984 and 896-4179 or email at [email protected]

1st NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUMMIT

The Justice Sector Coordinating Council JSCC), composed of the Supreme Court, Department of Justice, and Department of the Interior and Local Government has invited the Federation of Philippines Industries to the 1st National Criminal Justice Summit to be held on December 5 & 6, 2011 at the Manila Hotel.

It is a gathering of justice officials, law enforcers, prosecutors, judges, corrections administrators, legislators, legal scholars, lawyers’ groups, and civil society representatives throughout the country to assess the current state of the criminal justice system and to take action on systemic issues. It will be a time to re-examine old mindsets and present new perspectives on the challenges we face.

3 The Summit is patterned after the United Nations Crime Congress which convenes every five years to address crime prevention and criminal justice. An objective is the formulation of a National Action Plan on Criminal Justice.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS

Senate:

Monday, November 28 Time & Venue Agenda

FOREIGN RELATIONS 10:00 A.M. Briefing on the following: Sen. A.B. Padilla Room 2/F Right Wing, Senate Discussions and outcomes of the 19th ASEAN Summit and related meetings

19th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting

Tuesday, November 29 Time & Venue Agenda

TRADE & COMMERCE joint with 1:00 P.M. S. Nos. 1088, 1523, P.S. Res. Nos. 636, 316 & 644 – Bills PUBLIC ORDER & DANGEROUS DRUGS Sen. G.T. Pecson Room 2/F Right and Resolutions on Pyrotechnics and Firecrackers and HEALTH & DEMOGRAPHY Wing, Senate P.S. Res. Nos. 208 & 637 – Christmas Lights

P.S. Res. No. 651 – Nutrition Labeling

House of Representatives:

MONDAY, 28-NOVEMBER-2011

TRADE & INDUSTRY Venue: Conf. Rms. 9 & 10 RVM Bldg. Time: 01:30 PM Agenda/Resource Person: HBs 955 & 1517 – Requiring car companies to put up sub-assembly plants for the local manufacture of certain car or auto parts (Rep. Augusto ‘Boboy’ Syjuco Ph. D.) HB 4499 – Strengthening the competitiveness of the Philippine motor vehicle manufacturing industry (Rep. Rufus Rodriguez) HB 5279 – Establishing the Comprehensive Motor Development Act (Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III)

TUESDAY, 29-NOVEMBER-2011

JUSTICE Venue: Conf. Rms. 14&15 RVM Bldg. Time: 09:30 AM Agenda/Resource Person: Determination of the sufficiency in substance of the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo (filed by Isabelita Vinuya, Pilar Galang, et al., and Reps. Reynaldo Umali, Bernadette Herrera-Dy, Cesar Sarmiento, Irvin Alcala, Florencio Flores Jr., Vicente Belmonte Jr.,Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr., Jorge ‘Bolet’ Banal, Walden Bello and Kaka Bag-ao with motion for inclusion as complainants filed by Reps. Winston ‘Winnie’ Castelo, Carlo Lopez, Deogracias Ramos Jr. and Philip Pichay)

TRADE & INDUSTRY (Subcommittee on Consumer Protection & Trade Regulation) Venue: Conf. Rm. 12 RVM Bldg. Time: 09:30 AM Agenda/Resource Person: Technical Working Group meeting on the Substitute Bill to HBs 448, 518, 613, 616, 770, 1153,

4 1225, 1229, 1469, 2726, 3120, 3833, 4404 & 5059 and HR 27 – Granting broader protection for consumers, amending for the purpose RA 7394, otherwise known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines (Reps. Juan Edgardo Angara, , Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, Reps. Luis Villafuerte, Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo, Rufus Rodriguez, Ma. Amelita Calimbas-Villarosa and Tomas Apacible)

TRANSPORTATION Venue: Conf. Rms. 3&4 RVM Bldg. Time: 09:30 AM Agenda/Resource Person: Motu Proprio inquiry into the present state of M/V 7,107 Islands Cruise (formerly known as M/V Coco Explorer 2) and the issues surrounding its seizure and detention by the Run After The Smugglers (RATS) program of the Bureau of Customs in 2008 and its eventual forfeiture by the Department of Finance in 2009

Substitute Bill to HBs 1352 & 1601 and HR 1143 – Providing for the further liberalization of the commercial aviation industry of the Philippines by aligning existing policies, rules and regulations (Reps. Aurora Cerilles, Rex Gatchalian and Winston ‘Winnie’ Castelo)

WAYS & MEANS Venue: R. R. Andaya Hall 2/F SW Bldg. Time: 09:30 AM Agenda/Resource Person: Briefing by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on the following: Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 40-2011 dated September 05, 2011 that revised BIR forms 1700, 1701 and 1702 requiring the disclosure of additional detailed information, such as income subjected to final tax, income exempt from tax and exclusions from gross income under Sec. 32 (B) of the Tax Code Single Window System – BIR inter-agency information linkage in relation to Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 40-2011

Substitute Bill to HB 4374 – Strengthening nation-building through the institutionalization of a strategic volunteerism based multi-sectoral public-private partnership framework, in all local government units and congressional districts in the country (Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.)

Substitute Bill to HB 4949 – Amending RA 7898, otherwise known as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Act (Rep. Rodolfo Biazon)

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS Venue: Conf. Rm. 5 RVM Bldg. Time: 01:30 PM Agenda/Resource Person: Technical Working Group meeting on HB 4053 – Requiring businesses/enterprises within ecozones to pay service fees to their host cities or municipalities, amending for the purpose RA 7916, otherwise known as the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 (Rep. Sigfrido Tinga)

LEGISLATIVE FRANCHISES Venue: Conf. Rms. 9&10 RVM Bldg. Time: 01:30 PM Agenda/Resource Person: Committee Reports on:

HB 5336 – Amending Secs. 10, 11, 22 and 24 of RA 776, otherwise known as the Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines, as amended (Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao)

HB 3828 – Amending the franchise of Pantabangan Municipal Electric System by renewing/extending the term of the franchise to 25 years (Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago)

HB 5033 – Granting Wi-Tribe Telecoms, Inc. a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain telecommunications systems throughout the Philippines (Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona)

POVERTY ALLEVIATION Venue: Conf. Rms. 3&4 RVM Bldg. Time: 01:30 PM Agenda/Resource Person: Briefing by the National Anti-Poverty Commission on the recently conducted election of representatives of basic sectors

5 HR 960 – Inquiry into the new poverty measurement scheme approved by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) which substantially lowers the official average poverty threshold (Rep. Raymond Palatino)

Notice:

Please be informed that the news articles/write-ups of FPI President George S. Chua and FPI Sustainable Development Committee Chairman Ernesto Ordoñez published and circulated in newspapers may likewise be accessed thru the FPI website: www.fpi.ph .

Prepared by the FPI Secretariat

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