Philippines seen as regional hub in new strategy

For manufacturing, services, agribusiness

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is embarking on an ambitious plan to become a regional manufacturing, services and agribusiness hub starting 2022 under the Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy (CNIS).

The CNIS is the country’s blueprint for overall industrial development strategy covering the sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

“CNIS links the manufacturing sector with the agricultural and services sectors. In the process, forward and backward linkages will be strengthened, supply chain gaps will be addressed and the industries’ participation in the global and value chains will be deepened,” Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. said in a presentation yesterday.

The CNIS outlines a three-phase approach aimed at making the Philippine a manufacturing, services and agribusiness powerhouse in the region by year 2022 to 2025.

According to the DTI, the country’s agriculture sector has been declining in recent years while manufacturing has remained stagnant.

The services sector, meanwhile, has emerged as the backbone of the Philippine economy.

“While the growth in agriculture has been quite challenging in the past years and growth in services has been limited to a few sectors, we should be able to lift these sectors – with agriculture as source of inputs and services as the enabling element – to support broad-based sustained growth in manufacturing,” Cristobal said.

“Eventually, we would like to see a Philippine manufacturing sector that is inclusive, with micro, small and medium enterprises at the front and center of the Philippine business activities. A manufacturing sector that is likewise expansive to conquer not just the local markets but also strategic markets beyond our borders,” he added.

Under the CNIS, the country is targeted to become hubs in regional and global production networks for automotive, electronics, machinery, garments, and food.

The country’s agriculture sector is also expected to be transformed and upgraded from traditional farming to a globally competitive agribusiness sector.

Globally competitive services, meanwhile, is projected to create quality jobs, move up the value chain, and enable structural transformation.

“The CNIS’ promotion of the big five industries – manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, infrastructure and logistics, and IT-BPM – will bring us closer to our goal of sustaining high-level growth, creating more and better jobs, economic transformation, and shared prosperity for all,” the DTI said.