DTI consults BPOs on policy changes amid trade war

The Department of Trade and Industry is in talks with stakeholders in a bid to cushion the blows inflicted by the changes in domestic and international markets. Rafaelita Aldaba, assistant secretary for DTI’s Industry Development and Trade Police Group, said inputs from stakeholders, including the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, are needed to formulate policies and programs to better address substantial changes in domestic and external markets, due to the growing US-China trade war, rising inflation, rising imports and export slowdown. The DTI started discussions with BPO firms last month. DTI is also meeting with the mining, tourism, paper, book publishing and printing sectors this month. Next month, the DTI will consult the construction; mass housing, cement and ceramic tiles; agribusiness; metal casting; tool and die; and shipbuilding and ship repair sectors. DTI will convene with other sectors before the year ends.