Philippine ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Pono By Ashraf Siddiqui DOHA - Exportation of more products could enhance bilateral trade between the Philippines and Qatar. During the two-day business matching session in Doha, Qatar that concluded on Thursday, Philippine ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Pono said 2021 annual bilateral trade between Qatar and Philippines was around US$224 million, of which $46 million were exports from the Philippines. Pono said this gap in the balance of payment in favor of Qatar can be minimized considering an International Trade Center report citing the Philippines has the potential to increase its exports of food and agro-based products to Qatar by over USD19 million. "These are not only trade of products in Qatar market, it is promoting of great name of Philippines in this region," she said. The envoy added that Philippine products meet global standards of quality therefore, these are marketable and can stand with the dynamics of ups and down in th
MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Friday said the agency has promoted the Philippines to Chinese manufacturers of batteries and electric vehicles as their next destination for their investments. This as the DTI participated in the 2022 International Summit on Lithium Battery Technology and Application for Light Electric Vehicles (BLEV 2022) in Guangzhou, China recently, where it pitched the investment opportunities in the Philippines for e-vehicle and battery manufacturers. DTI Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC) Assistant Secretary Glenn Penaranda told Chinese firms that the Philippines enacted the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) into law last May which will support the growth of the local e-vehicle industry. "(EVIDA) provides for a national policy framework to develop the electric vehicle industry in the Philippines, particularly for the shift to EVs and for further attracting investments and creating high-value jobs," Penaranda said. W