By Rachel O. Acosta
PCCI
Information Officer
Alfredo M. Yao, newly elected
president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), is
encouraging more small and medium entrepreneurs to increase their revenues and
profitability by indirectly exporting to other ASEAN countries as suppliers or
subcontractors of large Philippine enterprises.
In a talk with some participants on the sidelines of a forum on
ASEAN Comprehensive Investments Agreement (ACIA), PCCI president Yao said that
entrepreneurs may make up for their small size, lack of financing and lack of
export marketing skills by collaborating with large exporters.
By subcontracting, Yao said, the SMEs serve the needs of
consumers in a huge, overseas market instead of compete in a small domestic
market.
Those small entrepreneurs aspiring to benefit from a share of
the ASEAN markets can contact the regional or provincial chambers of the PCCI,
and avail themselves of the matching services for SMEs and exporters and
investment promotion training. PCCI also offers technical assistance such as in
the writing of business plans to gain access to financing.
The forum on the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement was
organized by the PCCI in partnership with the Board of Investments, Department
of Trade and Industry and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.
The PCCI president who heads one of the country's largest
beverage companies, said that PCCI advocates subcontracting because SMEs would
get their products early to ASEAN markets, turn over their inventories faster
to cash, avoid high borrowing and logistics costs, overcome delays and
paperwork, improve productivity, and allow them to hire more workers.
As examples, he cited the growth of suppliers of raw materials
and services for exporters such as Jollibee Corporation, Splash Marketing, Belo
Medical, EQ Diapers, Robina Corporation and Yazaki Torres.
Though subcontracting arrangements in the Philippines is common
in the automotive and electronic components industries, supply deals have also
been flowering for years.
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