Duterte Government to Launch Website for Trading of Commodities to Reduce Process Time, Remove Red Tape

The Duterte administration is set to launch this coming December a new online trade facilitation platform, according to the Department of Finance (DOF). Its main purpose is to reduce the processing time for shipment permits and to eliminate red tape that causes unnecessary delays during the transactions of businesses with the government.



According to Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, the upcoming website TradeNet.gov.ph shall allow traders to apply for import and export permits for commonly traded goods. Initially, the online platform will be applicable to rice, sugar, chemicals, frozen meat, medicines, cured tobacco, and used motor vehicles. Other goods will be included later.

"The initial deployment will allow traders to use the system for the first seven commodities that represent fifty percent of the total trade volume of the Philippines," Undersecretary Beltran said in a statement, noting that six government agencies will involved in the processing of permits for the import and export of the commodities mentioned above.

These include the National Food Authority (NFA), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), National Tobacco Administration (NTA), Fair Trade and Enforcement Bureau (FTEB), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Bureau of Customs (BOC).

“TradeNet.gov.ph is expected to shorten the processing time of import/export clearances, reduce the number of transactions and required documents to be submitted, and remove bureaucratic red-tape that has plagued businesses and citizens when dealing with the government.” He added, emphasizing that the new platform will add more agencies soon.



Consequently, this new online platform will also function as the country’s National Single Window (NSW) system, which will be interconnected with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Single Window. The 10 ASEAN members are Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Cambeodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Contributed by Salvi Dalida