The 2nd Philippine Seafreight Forwarders Awards and Conference
In an increasingly globalized and interdependent world, the role seafreight
forwarders play in global trade and economy is continuously growing. This is especially true
for the case of the Philippines, a country isolated from the rest of the world by the seas and
ocean that surround it. Local seafreight forwarders capable of providing service that can compete
with what the multinational companies that operate in the country offer is therefore vital if local
and international trade is to continue smoothly.
To ensure this, the Department of Trade and Industry, as mandated by the
executive order which calls for the development of the industry (EO 514), in partnership with
Portcalls, the sole shipping and transport guide in the country, have launched the Philippine
Seafreight Forwarders Awards and Conference. By giving recognition to the best freight
forwarders in the country, the awards hope to encourage industry members to constantly work
on improving their services.
Last October 12, the second seafreight awards and conference were held at
the Hyatt Hotel and Manila and were attended by the big players in the industry. The first
part of the event was a conference that featured lectures on shipping-related issues and
concerns.
Two lectures were presented during the conference. The first (The
Philippines' Free Trade Agreements: Customs and Trade Risks/Opportunities), by international
trade and customs specialist Atty. Agaton Uvero, tackled the different bilateral and regional
free trade agreements the Philippines has, the FTA's drivers, their benefits, the potential
problems they pose and their impact. Discussing how companies have changed, the lecture
by Atty. Uyero also described how "autonomous and self-sufficient" national organizations
have given way to regional groups.
The second lecture (Practical Perspective to Differentiating your Value,
Unsolicited Advise to Third-Party Logistics) was given by Avon Cosmetics' Director for Supply
Chain Enrico Castillo and discussed, among other things, business outsourcing and global
market trends.
The awarding ceremony was held during the evening. Freight Forwarder if
the Year, Freight forwarder for Asia and Freight forwarder for the USA were just some of the
awards given out.
Portcalls' can be reached through their website at www.portcalls.com
