The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has drawn up a strategic game plan to help its members get ready to compete in a barrier-free ASEAN market, where countries united into a single market and production base, characterized by the free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.
The game plan focuses on small and medium enterprises, generally considered to be the most vulnerable to an era of untrammelled competition from neighboring countries.
PCCI President Alfredo M. Yao explains that the game plan involves weekly industry meetings that will orient the members about the impact of the integration, identify needs and challenges faced by SMEs, and provide avenues where member can collectively come up with new strategies to help SMEs move up the value chain.
He added that the private sector should look after its own problems and maximize funds, technology and manpower to come up with solutions to problems that may face them, rather than look to government for assistance.
Yao also cautioned local enterprises to watch out for non-tariff barriers which may be set up by other ASEAN countries.
Non-tariff barriers may come in the form of additional standards and requirements, import licenses, accreditation and certification.
The PCCI suggested assigning one person in each country to monitor these non-tariff barriers even as the private sector can do its own monitoring, collection of data and evidence, and submission to government so they can work on it and discuss with the other country on a government-to-government basis.
Photo: from Philstar.com