Customs
automation to cut business cost in half
THE automation of
export and import clearances offered by the RosettaNet
eCustoms Declaration program launched early this
week is expected to cut the cost of doing business
by over 50%. This is according
to Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in
the Philippines and RosettaNet Philippines executive
director Ernesto Santiago during the launch at
the Bellevue in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Aside from
cost effectiveness, the fully automated system
will also bring forth transparency and reliability
of data, thus, eliminating technical smuggling.
Intel Philippines eCustoms
Project manager Lito Zulaybar noted the benefits
of the e-customs process is exponential in terms
of increased productivity since it eliminates
the manual process, simplifies business operations
and improves the trade cycle time.
RosettaNet is an
international consortium of companies involved
in information technology, electronics component
and semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications
and logistics working together to create and implement
industry-wide, open e-business process standards.
With the automated
import and export clearance processing using RosettaNet
eCustoms PIP3B18 (Partner Interface Process),
the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is now primed for
the global business community, especially since
it is the first country in the world to adopt
this e-customs standard.
In using the system,
electronics companies such as Intel, the country's
top exporter, can now move various shipping information
automatically from its computer system to its
logistics forwarders and then the BOC.Zulaybar
added the BOC's adoption of RosettaNet, gives
the Philippines a competitive advantage in global
trading. At present, there are over 500 companies
representing $1 trillion in revenues in the RosettaNet.
"The RosettaNet
community is a global community. This
move of BOC strengthens the country's connection
to the world and it does not cost the government
anything," he said.
Customs deputy commissioner
for Management and Information System Alexander
Arevalo said the project is a "dream come true"
especially at a time when the Philippines is back
in the global business community's radar screen.
Back to Top
Government readies chain of
cold storage plants
THE government will set up a chain of cold storage
facilities amounting to P1.2 billion in various
regions in the country.
The Philippine Infrastructure Corp. (PIC) has
lined up the facilities in the Cordillera, Central
Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Region 6 and Mindanao,
each costing P200 million.
The idea is to integrate cold storages to small
producers and big suppliers to major markets,
said Noel Kintanar, consultant to Trade and Industry
Secretary Cesar Purisima.
He said the cold storage chain will support the
country's agriculture-producing areas and help
stabilize prices of basic commodities. He added
this tactic will aid producers in accessing major
corporate clients and achieving economies of scale.
Kintanar said the project is being coordinated
with the Department of Agriculture, which has
its own investment initiatives to develop the
cold chain sector.
Back to Top
Air Philippines to focus more
on Asian market
AIR PHILIPPINES will focus more on the continuously
growing Asian market in the next few months rather
than tapping the United States market, for which
it has been allowed to do so since October.
Air Philippines president Edilberto Medina said
the airline has decided to fly to such countries
as Korea and Malaysia instead.
"We are not yet ready to fly to the US. On the
other hand, Korea is a very important market to
us," he said.
Due to its decision, the country's third-largest
carrier will also likely miss out on the opportunity
to fly to Singapore, Japan, and China, for which
it also has licenses for.
Medina said Air Philippines is reluctant to fly
Singapore since sister company Philippine Airlines
(PAL) is already servicing the area. "We do not
want to compete with PAL," he noted.
In line with plans to intensify operations to
Asia, the airline acquired new aircraft but these
are currently leased out to PAL.
Still, the airline has not totally given up its
goal of pursuing flights to Japan.
PAL is currently the only carrier flying to Osaka,
Tokyo, Fukuoka and Okinawa.
Last September, the Japanese government increased
to 61 the flight entitlements of Philippine carriers
to Japan.
Back to Top
Keppel income up 153% in first
9 mos
KEPPEL PHILIPPINES MARINES, INC.
(KPMI) and its subsidiary turned in a robust net
income of P101.4 million for the first nine months
of the year, up 153% from P40.1 million gained
the same period last year.
In a recent disclosure to the Philippine
Stock Exchange, the country's largest shipyard
said its net income for the third quarter went
up 74.2% to P22.5 million from P12.9 million in
2003.
KPMI attributed the positive results
to strong revenue growth for the nine-month period,
which increased 33.3% to P941.9 million from P706.9
million.
Sales revenue from July to September
also went up 63.1% to P343.1 million from P210.3
million the same period last year.
Sales revenues were generated from
ship repair and shipbuilding activities.Foreign
vessels accounted for 44.32% of the ship repair
revenue, the ship yard operator explained.
Meanwhile, cost of operations for
the first nine months totaled P859.1 million,
up 28.6% compared with P668.1 million in the previous
year. During the third quarter, KPMI said operating
expenses rose 57.2% due mainly to the increase
in revenue.
The operating profit of P21.8 million
during the third quarter soared 270.9% from P5.9
million due to increased sales revenue and improved
margin.Net interest income, on the other hand,
grew 38.5% to P14.4 million from P10.4 million
due to higher interest income from short-term
placements and decrease in the interest expense
during the period.
KPMI disclosed the share of results
from associated companies during the quarter showed
a decrease of P3.2 million, mainly because of
the negative contributions results from Subic
Shipyard.
In 2003, the KPMI's three shipyards
repaired a total of 254 vessels, more than 100
of which were foreign ships, contributing 60%
of their total revenue.
KPMI is a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore
and Marine, the marine arm of Keppel Corp. Ltd
of Singapore.
Back to Top
|
