AMID the scramble to get a piece of the Export Support Fund (ESF), the government on Thursday said the promised state aid for exporters no longer exists.
“There’s no more money, no funds [for the ESF],” Trade Secretary Jesli Lapus told reporters on the sidelines of the 51st Manila F.A.M.E. International.
Senior Trade Undersecretary Thomas Aquino said Lapus had written the Department of Budget and Management “asking for a little bit more [of the ESF] that can be thrown our way.”
But Malacañang is firm in its decision to realign the unallocated portion of the P1-billion ESF to the government’s disaster prevention, mitigation and recovery, trade officials said.
But they cannot confirm whether the unused amount had been actually realigned to efforts to mitigate the effects of El Niño and the strong typhoons that hit the country last year.
The Department of Trade and Industry earlier said that about P200-million worth of projects had qualified for funding under the ESF, but the Export Development Council (EDC) said only P40.77 million had been released so far.
Aquino said exporters of food and agricultural goods, furniture and furnishings, handicrafts, herbal products, jewelry, among others, were able to avail of the ESF.
Senen Perlada, EDC executive director, told reporters that some industry groups are causing the delay in the release of the funding they requested.
He said the disbursement and reimbursement of funds for projects that have qualified under the ESF involve a “stringent” process, which includes the submission of audited receipts. Some industry groups are unable to fulfill these requirements, hence the delay in the release of the funds allocated to them, he said.
The EDC official said the P100-million joint proposal of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines and the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. was “expensive.”
He said EDC wanted to distribute the meager fund to as many projects and as many groups as possible. –BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA Reporter, Manila Times
Nov 16 – International Day for Tolerance
“No more toleration of corruption!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
November
Nov 2 – Intl Day to End Impunity for
Crimes Against Journalists
Nov 9 – World Science Day for Peace
and Development
Nov 16 – International Day for Tolerance
Nov 19 – World Toilet Day
Nov 20 – World Children’s Day
Nov 25 – Intl Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against Women
Monthly Observances:
Homes Safety Month
Filipino Values Month
National Rice Awareness Month
National Consciousness Month
for Punctuality and Civility
Environmental Awareness Month
National Children’s Month
Organic Agriculture Month
Weekly Observances:
Nov 19-25: Global Warming and
Climate Change Consciousness Week
Nov 23-29: National Girls’ Week
Population and Development Week
Nov 25 – Dec 12: Social Welfare Week
18-Day Campaign to End
Violence against Women
Week 2: Week 3: Drug Abuse Prevention
and Control Week
Last Week: Safety and Accident
Prevention Week
Daily Observances:
Last Saturday: Career Executive Service
Day
Nov 19: National Child Health Day
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