TRADE-RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT DECEMBER 2013

T R A D E
This newsleter is made possible by the generous support of the American
People through the United States Agency for Internatonal Development
(USAID). The contents of this newsleter are the sole responsibility of the
TRADE Project and do not necessarily refect the views of USAID or the
United States Government.
TRADE hosts USAIDs Greg Beck
TRADE organized a roundtable discussion with USAIDs Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Greg Beck, as a forum for select ed
participants to exchange ideas and information on the outlook for US-Philippines economic relations and the prospects for Philippine
participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Held at the AmCham Hall, Corinthian Plaza in Makati City, the RTD was
moderated by TRADEs COP Dr. Ciel Habito, and brought together government and business leaders led by DTI Undersecretary
Adrian Cristobal Jr., with Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) (whose recent appointment
as DTI Assistant Secretary for Industry Development was announced); Guillermo Luz and Ambassador Cesar Bautista of the National
Competitiveness Council (NCC); Donald Dee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI); SGV & Co. Senior
Adviser Amb. Delia Albert; Greg Navarro of Navarro Amper & Co., and Ebb Hinchliffe, Executive Director for AmCham Philippines.
Mr. Beck opened the discussion by speaking about the US-Philippines Partnership for Growth (PfG), citing such initiatives as a new
model for development. Under the PfG, USAID-Philippines works closely with government and the private sector to address
constraints to inclusive economic growth in the Philippines, through projects that improve competitiveness and fiscal policies, reduce
corruption and expand trade and investment, among others. Undersecretary Cristobal informed the group that, following adoption of the
World Trade Organizations Bali Package, the DTI will be adjusting its trade policy strategy in the coming year. He stressed the
importance for private sector, civil society and government to work together and called attention to DTIs need for help in capacity-
building, research, trade policy support and public outreach/advocacy. (Continue to page 2)

(Above from left) DTI Undersecretary Atty. Cristobal cites the TPP Updates (a publication of TRADE) in the roundtable
as USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Beck, USAID Philippines Mission Director Gloria Steele, and Dr. Habito look on.
TRADE & PCCI kick off CMTA Gap Analysis
DTI officers trained on Trade
Policy Analysis
TRADE and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
conducted the Introductory Trade Policy training course
for key personnel of DTI at the Philippine Trade Training
Centre on 12-13 December. TRADEs Senior Trade Policy
Adviser Dr. Ramon Clarete of the UP School of
Economics served as resource person for the six-
module course. TRADE COP Dr. Ciel Habito and DTI
Assistant Directors Aty. Sherwin Castaneda and Angelo
Salvador Benedictos were on hand to award the
certfcates of completon to the 35 to 40 partcipants
from various ofces and agencies under DTI.
(contnue to page 2)
(Above) Dr. Clarate of TRADE lectures on the first
day of classes of the trade policy course.
Roundtable examines Trade
Transactions Process Analysis
((From left) Cecilia Reyes and Dr. Habito of TRADE; Ruperto Bayucot (Pres.,
Confederation of Truckers Assoc. of the Phils.); Atty. Danilo Ballena, Jr. (AOCG,
BoC); () Leo Morada (partly hidden, Phili. E-Freight Working Group); Abi
Dumalus, Mitos Aldave and (partly hidden) Edmund Guamen of TRADE; Atty.
Alex Gaticales (Customs and Trade Expert) and Jaime Taborda (MISTG, BoC)
In keeping with its goal to help improve the efficiency of trade
clearance processes, TRADE held a roundtable discussion
designed to enhance communication and collaboration
between the project and stakeholders from government and
relevant sectors on 13 December 2013 at the Diamond Hotel.
The discussion sought to develop a common understanding
of the projects planned Trade Transactions Process Analysis
(TPPA) its purpose, conduct, methodology and other
relevant issues and was participated in by TRADE
personnel and representatives from the Bureau of Customs
(BoC), the National Competitiveness Council (NCC),
International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the
Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines.
(contnue to page 2)
(Above) TRADE DCOP Gareth Davies (3rd from right) leads CMTA roundtable discussions with (from left) Atty. Alex Gat-
icales (Customs and Trade Expert ); Atty. Miguel Valera (PCCI); Flordeliza Leong and Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. ((Philexport);
Donald Dee (PCCI); Ryan Evangelista (USAID; partly hidden); Dr. Habito (TRADE); and Ranulfo Cruz (Tariff Commission).
Together with partner Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), TRADE mounted a roundtable discussion on the Customs Modernizaton
and Tarifs Act (CMTA) Gap Analysis on 16 December at the B.A. Security Hall, PCCI. PCCI President Miguel B. Varela, TRADE Chief of Party Ciel Habito
and TRADE DCOP Gareth Davies welcomed and greeted the partcipants, while customs and trade expert Aty. Alex Gatcales gave a kick-of presenta-
ton on the CMTA and its coherence with internatonal protocols and standards.
The RTD identfed the critcal issues that the CMTA should be able to address, viz: (a) points of vulnerability critcal to customs operatons; (b) design
and development of a bonded automated system to eliminate smuggling; and (c) other provisions or measures that are not in the proposed bills (e.g.
reward system etc). The RTD was an inital actvity toward formulatng a compliance plan to ensure CMTA consistency with the relevant provisions of
the Revised Kyoto Conventon (RKC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the Philippines-US Trade Facilitaton Protocol (PUSTFP). It elicited
the private sectors perspectve on the CMTA and reactons from government agencies such as the BoC, the Department of Finance (DOF) and the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). (Contnue to page 2)
2 TRADE / DECEMBER 2013
TRADE PROJECT STAFF
Chief of Party: Dr. Cielito F. Habito Deputy Chief
of Party: Gareth J. Davies Senior Adviser for
Trade Policy: Dr. Ramon L. Clarete Trade Policy
Specialist: Myrene Bedao Component Lead for
Trade Facilitaton: Cecilia V. Reyes Adviser for
Trade Facilitaton: Edmund C. Guamen
Component Lead for Competton Policy: Gigo
Alampay Monitoring and Evaluaton Specialist:
Miguel V. Guioguio Communicatons Specialist:
Kimi Tuvera Research Assistant: Abigail
Dumalus Director of Operatons: Mitos Q.
Aldave Project Accountant: Imelda L. Mallari
Administratve Coordinator: Rose Catndoy
Much atenton is currently focused on the ASEAN Econom-
ic Community scheduled to take efect at the end of 2015.
Usec. Cristobal underscored the importance of consoli-
datng the Philippines gains from existng trade agreements
with ASEAN partners. Cristobal asserted that the Philippines
is eager to join the TPP and hopes to be included in the
second batch of countries when TPP begins acceptng new
members. Meanwhile, negotatons for the Regional Com-
prehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are targeted for
completon by end of 2015. The RCEP is a free-trade agree-
ment between members of the ASEAN and Australia, China,
India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand.

The roundtable was another additon to the actvites of
TRADE in supportng initatves to improve the country's
readiness for new generaton trade agreements such, as
the TPP and Free Trade Agreement for Asia-Pacifc (FTAAP).
The training course consisted of lectures and discussions,
and was divided into five modules focusing on trade policy
and data analysis as well as the differences between, and
reasons for, multilateral vs. preferential agreements. Its
objective was to introduce trainees to topics such as the
concepts and basic theories of international trade; the
reasons as well as various instruments used by governments
to restrict the flow of trade, particularly imports; methods used
in quantifying the effects of trade restrictions; analyzing trade
flows and using indicators to describe trade performance; and
various databases used in gathering trade data. The course
also sought to provide trainees with ideas in developing a
countrys trade policy profile, equip them with technical input
in formulating their views on the appropriateness or
inappropriateness of trade restrictions, and train them to read
and understand reports involving analysis of trade policies.
The training course is in keeping with TRADEs aim to help
build and sustain the capacity of the DTI and member
agencies of the Committee on ASEAN Economic Cooperation
(CAEC) and the Tariff and Related Matters (TRM) Committee
to undertake trade policy analysis and negotiations.
The TTPA will examine end-to-end processes involved in import
transactions, from initiating to clearing and delivery of imported
goods. Apart from measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of
Customs and other regulatory procedures, it will also study links in
the process chain outside the purview of government. Resource
speaker Atty. Alex Gaticales gave a presentation covering the
steps in the importation process, from pre-arrival to the release of
goods.
The RTD dealt on cross-cutting issues such as laws, policies,
trade practices on the ground, rules and regulations, as potential
causes of delays in cargo processing may not be limited to
Customs processes. The Business Process Analysis (BPA)
model recommended by UNESCAP will be applied in conducting
and documenting the TTPA.
The RTD was designed to help ensure that recommended
measures resulting from the TTPA will be implemented,
institutionalized and maintained beyond the TRADE project
timeline.
The RTD agreed to convene a Technical Working Group (TWG)
to undertake a line-by-line study of the CMTA to ensure that it
is consistent with internatonal trade facilitaton protocols.
TRADE will provide assistance in the drafing of implementng
rules and regulatons once the CMTA is passed.
Greg Beck (from page 1)
TRADE DCOP Gareth Davies (2nd from right) explains a point in the Beck
roundtable with (from left) Ambassador Cesar Bautista and Bill Luz (NCC);
Dr. Clarete (TRADE) and Ebb Hinchliffe, (AmCham).
Trade Policy Analysis (from page 1)
CMTA Gap Analysis (from Page 1)
Participants in the CMTA roundtable (from left) John Forbes and Garrick Thompson
(AmCham); Sally Montero (Phil. Institute of Petroleum) and Cecilia Reyes (TRADE) .
Process Analysis (from page 1)
(From left to right) Rose Catindoy and Edmund Guamen of TRADE; Riva Balicano
and Rhoan Escarnosa of NCC; and Atty. Gaticales (Customs and Trade Expert).
(Above) Bureau of Import Services Assistant Director Atty. Sherwin
Castaeda delivering closing remarks at the end of the training .
(Above) TRADE COP Dr. Habito, Trainee Cherry Mae
Nuez , Assistant Director Butch Benedictos and Dr. Clarete
during the awarding of certificates of completion
TRADE/i3 Open House December 6, 2013
(From left) TRADE COP Habito with DepComs Primo Aguas and Editha
Tan of BoC and John Avila of USAID
(From left) Kevin Sharp (USAID), Gareth Davies (TRADE), and Clay Epperson
(USAID)
(From left) Dr. Mario Lamberte (COMPETE); Ria Orca (USAID);
and Dr. Clarete of TRADE
USAID Staff with TRADE and I3 staff
(Foreground from left) Yohaness Araya and Jorge Dulanto-
Hassentein of USAID, Dr. Habito and Stephen Andoseh (USAID)