Private investment and trade opportunities : Philippines

The project, which will be implemented by the Philippines Exporters Foundation (PHILEXPORT), will have three components: trade and investment promotion; policy analysis; and training and technical assistance. The development of trade between the Philippines and the United States will be emphasized. The project"s core activity will be the establishment of regional centers in Davao, Cebu, and Metro Manila to promote private trade and investment. The centers will carry out activities in three areas. (1) General promotion will include: development of promotional materials (e.g., trade and investment guidebooks, brochures, audiovisual presentations, etc.); a system to refer prospective investors/traders in need of specific assistance to accounting firms, consultants, government agencies, etc., as their needs may be; linkages with the trade promotion network established under 3990358; trade and investment seminars and missions; arrangement of meetings between Philippine and U.S. entrepreneurs; and assistance to firms in dealing with procedural, bureaucratic, and other obstacles associated with new ventures. (2) Computerized database services will offer entrepreneurs, on a fee basis, practical business information, e.g., lists of buyers and sellers, trade opportunity notices; other information sources, including printed materials, will also be available. (3) Transaction-based trade brokering services will be provided, on a fee basis, through subcontracts with NGO"s or private firms (one in each of the three regional project areas). A series of policy analyses will address specific, micro-level problems facing traders and investors. Possible topics include streamlining of regulatory procedures, reducing policy biases against rural-based ventures, easing constraints to U.S.- Philippine joint ventures, and issues of market access in both the United States and the Philippines. A final component will offer targeted training and technical assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises on topics directly related to initiating or improving trade and investment. Training will be geared to the needs of individual businesses, but will likely include such topics as product design, packaging, standardization, and quality control measures for exports, with an emphasis on U.S. import requirements, U.S. markets, and U.S. technology. Most courses will be conducted in-country, but training and observation tours to the United States and other countries are contemplated.