Chemical industry sets employment target

MANILA, Philippines – The chemical industry has added employment target as well as short-term priorities under a proposed road map.

Samahan sa Pilipinas ng mga Industriyang Kimika (SPIK) president Roberto Batungbacal said in a telephone interview the group has included employment target in their proposed road map.

“We saw the need for an increased focus on employment so we are working on creating more jobs. We want to have 125,000 jobs in the industry by 2016,” he said.

At present, he said there are 86,000 employed in the industry.

Employment targets for 2022 and 2030, he said, will be set as the chemical industry’s technical working group (TWG) holds meetings with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to determine how to implement as well as improve strategies in the road map.

The chemical industry’s TWG held a meeting with the DTI on Thursday and the discussions covered the need to address certain issues in the short-term such as ease of doing business, holding training, and pushing for the conduct of scientific research for legislation affecting the industry.

Batungbacal said there is a need to work on streamlining the business process for the chemical industry as firms are required to obtain several permits from different government agencies

He also said it is important to identify what training is required by the industry.

He added that they would like government to consider scientific research before putting in place policies affecting the chemical industry.

DTI Undersecretary Adrian Cristobal, Jr. said earlier the government is ready to release the road map for the chemical industry on Aug. 13.

Under the proposed road map, the SPIK is aiming to double export revenues to $5 billion in 2016 from $2.5 billion in 2011.

By 2022, the SPIK intends to see export revenues at a higher $10 billion.

The group is also aiming to further increase export revenues to hit $30 billion by 2030.

To achieve higher export revenues, the group wants to focus on investing in research and development that will allow industry players to develop more products.

Batungbacal said that while the group wants the chemical industry to grow, they are not asking for new fiscal incentives from the government.

“There are so many things government can give apart from fiscal incentives,” he said. –Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star)