The Philippines’ first National Logistics Master Plan (NLMP) is expected to be completed by end of July, presented to the public for feedback by September, and implemented in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
DTI’s Supply Chain and Logistics Management Division (SCLMD) chief Sarah Lope said the target is to wrap up all focus group discussions (FGD) by June or July and come up with the final draft by the end of next month. SCLMD already conducted three FGDs in Batangas, Palawan, and Manila, and will hold the next ones in Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, Legazpi, Cagayan De Oro, and Clark.
The logistics master plan is being crafted by DTI in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development Advancing Philippine Competitiveness (USAID-COMPETE). It is seen to address issues and concerns that affect the competitiveness of the Philippine logistics industry, including the lack of infrastructure and difficulties arising from regulatory bottlenecks.
To ensure that the roadmap is followed correctly, Lope said they plan to create an advisory committee that will oversee and monitor the implementation of the roadmap.
To be supervised by the DTI, the proposed high-level inter-agency committee will be composed of representatives from national agencies in charge of infrastructure planning, development, trade and investment, and transport regulation. Regular consultations with the private sector and industry stakeholders will also be conducted by the committee.
A scorecard will be developed as well as part of the monitoring and evaluation toll in order to keep track of the implementation of the plan.
Four focus areas
During the Manila FGD on May 27, stakeholders in the logistics and transport service industry were presented with the draft, which is divided into four focus areas: infrastructure, regulation, institution, and policies.
For infrastructure development, the goal is to enhance connectivity, make roads and bridges resilient to climate change, support countryside development via logistics corridors, and facilitate trade, investment, and tourism for inclusive economic growth.
On the policy side, the proposed plan aims to have a “conducive environment for domestic and foreign investments in logistics and infrastructure development and operation, and craft policies that will address issues concerning the country’s compliance with international commitments.”
Recommendations on the regulatory side, meanwhile, strive to promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the provision of logistics and transport services through greater competition, as well as to enhance the quality of service, safety, and security in the operations of public utilities.
As for the institutional side, the roadmap seeks to enhance the capacity of agencies in project planning and regulation and policy implementation.
Aside from holding FGDs, the SCLMD has also asked stakeholders to submit position papers to ensure all inputs will be included in the roadmap. – Roumina Pablo
