Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) need to “go green” in their production process to boost their chances of participating in the global supply chains, the Philippines stressed at a recently concluded Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting.
As the host economy, the Philippines put the spotlight on the greening of MSMEs during the “Dialogue on Apec Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain” in Boracay.
Apec member-economies discussed best practices in managing green supply chains and the creation of a work plan to create an Apec Cooperation Network on Green Supply Chain.
“Over the recent years, Philippine development programs converge on mainstreaming MSMEs into domestic and regional trade. Apec 2015 is a valuable venue where the Philippines can highlight the value of MSMEs to move forward our advocacy for initiatives to further enable MSMEs,” Trade Undersecretary Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. said.
The Industry Roadmap Project of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was also discussed during the dialogue, as the road-mapping initiative aims to integrate green measures to the government’s interventions for the manufacturing sectors.
Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba added that the industry road-map project aims to identify policies that would enable industries to improve their competitiveness and increase their chances of participating in supply chains through cleaner production processes; efficient use of materials, water and power; reducing the impact on the environment; and compliance with global health and environment standards.
Specifically, the interventions will be integrated into the road maps of the automotive manufacturing and auto-parts sector; pulp and paper; plastic; mass housing; and copper and furniture sectors.
Aside from greening the industry road maps, the DTI’s initiatives focus also on supporting local communities in the rural areas.
MSMEs are estimated to account for 97 percent of all registered businesses in the country. They employ about 60 percent of the work force and contributes about a third of the country’s gross domestic product.
The common goal for Apec 2015 is the widening and deepening of MSME participation in trade. Initiatives include more actions that will further advance their internationalization, utilizing a set of indicators to track the progress of their direct and indirect contributions to trade.