Malaysia, an economy that is expanding from its agricultural and
manufacturing roots, is exploring opportunities in the services sector and is
intent on pursuing opportunities in emerging segments such as biotechnology,
and technology and design.
To sustain growth, Malaysia is
diversifying its economy by promoting services to neighbouring countries such as
Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Malaysia intends to provide
business solutions to the Philippine market through innovation with green
practices, relative to the concept of going green and being environmentally
friendly. Highlights include sustainable growth for future businesses thru
innovative trends in emerging segments, namely biotechnology, food, industrial
products, technology and design,” says Malaysian Embassy Trade Office (Matrade)
commissioner Har Man Ahmad.
Some of the biotechnology products
and services offered by Malaysia are mechanisms for paper recycling, healing
properties of virgin coconut oil, eco- friendly paints, as well as soaps and
deodorizers made from palm kernel.
Palm oil exports have taken a
substantial growth in the Philippines, capturing a major part of the demand for
the local market. The Malaysian palm oil industry currently supplies around 85
percent of the Philippines’ demand for oils and fats.
Malaysia, as one of the pioneers
in Halal promotions and development, plays a significant role in addressing the
increasing demand for Halal products and services in the Philippine market
which is now, sought for its high grade reliability on quality and
cleanliness. Halal compliant products in
the country reach a wide base of multicultural consumers with an increased
awareness of the benefits of Halal.
Halal products are considered
very promising and lucrative when it comes to opportunities in this emerging
market.
In terms of industrial services,
Malaysia offers green technology services such as solutions for recycling of
rainwater and clinical waste, as well as solutions for creating clean energy.
It is also introducing innovative
products such as intelligent patient beds, medical equipments and practical
solutions when it comes to healthcare.
On the technology side, Malaysian
industries are offering electric motorcycles and groundwork services for
digital hospitals.
Ahmad noted that Malaysian
companies adapt good business practises and they are aware that the key aspects
to maintain the loyalty of customers in the Philippines include price
competitiveness, high quality products, good service, marketing, adherence to
international standards, ease of doing business, product reliability and
efficiency in production and delivery.
Malaysia’s trade relations with
the Philippines is largely governed by the implementation of the ASEAN Free
Trade Agreement which eliminates tariffs on a broad range of products or reduce
them to five percent as of 2010.
Ahmad says this trade system is
sufficient for trade relations between Malaysia and the Philippines. “The terms
of trade relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia is congruent to the
agreement in the ASEAN. At this point, it is more on how we could both
encourage each other to increase the volume and value of bilateral trade to
better enhance productivity and cooperation between ourselves,” he says.
As of 2011, top imports of the
Philippines from Malaysia are semiconductors, amounting to $ 690 million, and
mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials amounting to $281 million.
Imports of plastics in primary and non-primary forms were valued at $154
million in 2011. Philippines’ imports
from Malaysia stood at $2. 6 billion, up from $2.5 billion in 2010.
Philippines’ top exports to
Malaysia, meanwhile, are semiconductors amounting to $447 million, and
petroleum products valued at $56 million.
Exports of products for electronic data processing were valued at $48
million in 2011.
Ahmad says that to maintain
patronage of Malaysian products, companies strive to implement cost-effective
pricing, regular product update on standards, new technology and innovation,
efficiency in production, reliability to meet market demands, and good service.
MATRADE consistently finds
opportunities for collaboration with the Philippine and matches the Malaysian
companies to the most appropriate business counterparts in the Philippines to
gain mutual cooperation and productive business relations, he added.
SM Baguio critic discredited
At the opening day of the trial
on the injunction case filed by the Cordillera Global Network against the earth
balling of the trees at Luneta Hill, lawyers for the defendants which include
SM Investments Corp, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and Shopping Center Management Corp.
questioned the independence and neutrality of Dr. Michael Bengwayan, who was
presented as an expert witness by the plaintiffs.
Bengwayan happens to be one of
the complainants in the case docketed as Civil Case Nos. 7595-R and 7629-R. As
such, he is not in a position to give an independent, neutral and unbiased
opinion on the case, lawyers for the defendants said.
Pressed during the cross
examination, Bengwayan admitted under oath that he did not make any scientific
study that would accurately determine the age and health of all the 182 trees
that were the subject of the complaint.
Bengwayan had testified earlier
that the computation of the rate of carbon sequestration varies depending on
the age, kind, health and environment of the trees.
A bombshell virtually exploded
when during the trial, Bengwayan denied making a statement claiming that “each
of the trees that are more than 100 feet and are 18-inch in diameter at its
base produces 6,000 pounds of oxygen” – since this statement was included in the
plaintiffs’ complaint.
Confronted with an article he had
written much earlier for the Igorot Journal in which he made the above
statement and even asserted that “…each of those trees absorb 45 lbs. of carbon
every year, thus all 182 trees absorb some 8,190 lbs of carbon annually, making
the air cooler and ridding the atmosphere of harmful CO2,” Bengwayan initially
reasoned that he “forgot” about the article, then backtracked and acknowledged
authorship.
In the said hearing at the Baguio
City Regional Trial Court 5 presided by Judge Antonio Estevez, the defense
presented an article containing the exact same statement that appeared in
Bengwayan’s Igorot Journal article, which appears to have been culled from a
foreign publication and for which no proper attribution seems to have been
made.
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