Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
September 9, 2024
“This summit is not merely about managing trade; it is also about mitigating risks, promoting stability and confidence in our regulatory regimes and ensuring that the tools of our progress do not become weapons of our destruction,” remarked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. when he keynoted the inaugural Philippine Strategic Trade Management Summit 2024 held in Taguig City.
The Summit brought together senior-level government leaders from different strategic trade agencies across the globe to discuss the latest trends, issues and challenges surrounding Strategic Trade Management (STM). The President emphasized in his address that the gathering demonstrated the nations’ commitment to collaborate in improving and securing global supply chains, as well as in opening doors for trade to flourish and their peoples to prosper.
More than just a bureaucratic exercise, he pointed out that STM — which covers strategic goods such as those used for military purposes or production of weapons of mass destruction — is about upholding the rule of law, protecting the people, and contributing to global peace and security. He conveyed that the Philippines, for its part, is on the right track in its STM as reflected in its improved ranking in the latest Peddling Peril Index.
“As a crucial tool in our endeavor to uphold global peace and security, STM allows us to regulate dual-use goods and technologies to prevent their misuse, while encouraging lawful trade that benefits us all,” the Chief Executive said.
“Given the rapid pace of technological advancement, our regulation strategy should be dynamic, adaptable, forward-thinking. We must also work together to create a system that is not only robust but is versatile, equitable and also resilient,” he continued, highlighting further that the Philippines has already launched a strategic investment plan focused on developing key industries and empowering its position in the global market.
He shared that the country has developed policies requiring individuals and entities engaged in strategic trade management activities to register and receive authorization in order to deliver their services. Programs are also in place to educate not only border control and import/export officers in fulfilling their responsibilities, but also stakeholders to properly comply with the Philippines’ rules and regulations.
“But the work does not end there… One country cannot do this alone. Each of us, no matter the race, the color, or belief, has a clear stake in building a more secure and prosperous world,” he said, calling all the guests present to continue taking part in the collaborative effort in advancing regional initiatives on STM.
“Let this occasion be a reminder to renew important conversations and to reinforce our commitment to creating what we refer to as ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ that is not only safe and secure but filled with promising opportunities for all,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his message.
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