THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region is asking the public to be cooperative with Holcim Philippines in its drive to recall its defective cement.
On February 20, the company released a consumer advisory through the local dailies stating that it will withdraw from the market those Holcim Excel cement in bags produced by its Davao plant between February 2 and 4. A total of 130,000 bags were produced during these dates.
“This batch of cement bags was found to have low strength development and may be unsuitable for load-bearing concrete such as posts and beams,” the announcement stated.
In order to find out the date of production of the Holcim Excel cement that a consumer has bought, he/she just have to look at the first four digits indicated at the bottom of the bags. The first two numbers indicate the month while the last two specifies the actual day of production.
The said problem occurred when Holcim Davao’s X-Ray machine for chemical analysis suddenly malfunctioned.
To date, Holcim is working closely with its dealers for the withdrawal of the said batch of cement.
Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Merly M. Cruz said that DTI Regional Office 11, for its part, has already issued a memorandum to its provincial offices.
“We have already instructed our field offices to help us out in the recall of these defective Holcim Excel cement in bags. Our monitoring teams have been instructed to check the dealers and retailers in the provinces to ensure that none of the remaining stocks of this batch of cement is released to the market. Our Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Division (CWTRD) has also conducted the necessary inspections at the Holcim Davao plant to ensure that no similar incident will happen again,” Cruz said.
Cruz added that the company is willing to compensate whatever damage that its product may have caused.
Should consumers need DTI’s assistance, they just have to contact the CWTRD at (082) 224-0511 local 421. They may likewise reach Holcim Davao directly at (082) 238-0249 or at (0918) 945-5195 and look for Ms. Cecille Wong.
Globe supports OTOP
Globe joins forces with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to carry out the latter’s vision to establish new businesses and create new jobs in the country through a program promoting entrepreneurship called One Town, One Product Philippines (OTOP).
OTOP Philippines is a priority program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to help establish three million new businesses and create six to ten million jobs. Through OTOP Philippines, local chief executives of each city and municipality take the lead in identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service, which has a competitive advantage.
Globe supports OTOP Philippines because its goals coincide with the company’s thrust to support nation-building thru SME development. Globe’s support of the OTOP Philippines project is a testament to Globe’s willingness and commitment to support the DTI with its initiatives.
Globe wants to help and inspire these entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by providing MSMEs the right connections critical to the success of their businesses.
The DTI, together with local government units (LGUs) and Globe, leverage on the wealth of indigenous raw materials and local talents to generate interest in entrepreneurship under the OTOP Philippines’ program.
Through OTOP Philippines, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are given the support they need to manufacture and market unique products and services. OTOP Philippines offers MSMEs with an asset size of not more than P100 million a comprehensive assistance package that includes business counseling, skills and entrepreneurial training, product design and development, and marketing.
Since its launch a year and a half ago, OTOP Philippines has generated $178 million of total export sales from ten regions to countries like the US, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.
OTOP products exported include coco vodka of Quezon, processed bangus of Pangasinan, chichacorn of Ilocos Sur, paper mâché and wood carving figures of Laguna, gifts and holiday decorations of Rizal, roasted pili of Sorsogon, sabutan hats of Aurora, Jewelries of Meycauayan, ceramic products of Sto. Tomas, furniture of Guagua, mangoes of Zambales, cut foliage of Capiz, and marine products of General Santos.
Other OTOP products have generated P2.19 billion through various Trade Fairs, exhibits and other market matching activities. A total of 130 OTOP Pasalubong Centers have also been established in different airports, bus terminals, and seaports nationwide.
One product in particular, Ilocos Norte’s cornick, has captured the meticulous preferences and discriminating tastes of both the local and foreign buyers, alike, generating P3.6 million in sales every month.
Aside from the generated revenues from the products, OTOP Philippines has also managed to develop 3,589 new MSMEs in the regions and provinces, and generated 142,227 new jobs.
The active government and private partnership has paved the way for the conduct of various assistances such as product development, marketing and promotion of products, entrepreneurial and skills training and financing.
Globe participated in OTOP Philippines’ grand launch in Market! Market!, exhibiting products and services in the Globe booth. For the opportunity to assist in the development of local SMEs by providing affordable telecom services, Globe is proud to be a part of the OTOP Philippines project.
NTF 2008 features best of the islands
TWO hundred exhibitors will feature unique products from the Philippines’ 17 regions at the National Trade Fair (NTF) 2008 on March 12 to 16 at the SM Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall in Manila.
The NTF is the country’s authoritative trade show for the best products throughout the archipelago, reflecting the peculiar resources and the people’s craftsmanship distinct from one region to another.
Over 900 new product designs will be showcased during this year’s NTF — a result of the full-cycle assistance package provided by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), Department of Trade and Industry Regional Operations Group (DTI-ROG), Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), Product Design and Development Center of the Philippines (PDDCP), Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT), and Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BSMed).
The NTF serves as a government platform that aims to boost the capabilities of Philippine enterprises.
“The country’s economic activities are greatly influenced by our homegrown enterprises; their value-added contribution sustains the need for sources of livelihood, especially in the countryside,” said DTI Assistant Secretary Felicitas Agoncillo-Reyes, Citem Executive Director.
Another highlight this year is the Raw Materials Setting featuring semi-processed forms and new applications of 10 raw materials with enormous potential, such as banana (bark, leaves, bud), coconut (coir, peat, bark, wood, fiber), corn (cob, husk, silk), fish scales, Manila palm (branch, twigs, fruits, fiber), recycled materials (e.g. tins, cans, etc.), sabutan leaves, water hyacinth (leaves and stems), tahong shells, and woven fibers made of abaca, buntal, and raffia.
DIT Assistant Secretary and DTI Southern Mindanao Regional Director Merly M. Cruz said the NTF is an opportunity for local SMEs to promote what they have.
“We have to show to other regions that Davao has a lot to offer,” she said.
Last year, the NTF assisted 194 SMEs and attracted almost a thousand buyers.
For more information, please contact Mary Rose Borinaga of DTI Southern Mindanao’s Trade Development Division at (082) 224-0511 local 415.
Investment opportunities in BIMP-Eaga
AT LEAST five investment opportunities were identified within the BIMP-Eaga region.
These opportunities include agro-industry, fisheries, tourism, transporting and shipping, and energy.
In a BIMP-Eaga Cooperation Initiative brochure provided by the BIMP-Eaga Facilitation Center and the BIMP-Eaga Business Council both based in Sabah, Malaysia, it states that the sub-region is already a leading producer of key agriculture products like coconut, palm oil, livestock and poultry, and high value tropical fruits and vegetables.
The sub-region is also a global center for the production and processing of important marine products such as tuna and seaweed as its major exports.
In terms of tourism, Eaga is one of the world’s leading eco-tourism destinations.
Among its favorite tourists activities include cultural visits and adventure sports like diving, mountain climbing, game fishing, and trekking.
As to the transporting and shipping opportunity, the sub-region is also well connected by sea and air to most major cities in Asia. The sub-region continues to upgrade its airports and seaports to ensure its competitiveness.
Energy sources too are abundant in BIMP-Eaga. It offers investment opportunities in the renewable energy sector with its advantage in geothermal, biomass, hydro- and wind power.(JRSevilla)
