MARIVELES, Bataan – The Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) recently presented its marketing and promotion plans and projects to the Foreign Trade Services Corps (FTSC) of the Department of Trade and Industry’s International Trade Group.
The FTSC visited the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) to tour the industrial area and held a brief meeting with the marketing group of the AFAB. Among the topics discussed during the meeting were the investment opportunities in the FAB and the five-year promotion and development program of the AFAB called the “7 Pillars of Inclusive Growth.”
The AFAB will introduce in the next five years the FAB Kaisa and FAB Assists programs as part of the 7 Pillars of Inclusive Growth. The programs will be launched this year.
The FAB Kaisa program aims to forge a partnership among micro industries, small and medium business enterprises (SMEs), international and domestic multinational companies, the Department of Trade and Industries, Philippine Export and Import Credit Agency, Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Trade Investment Centers, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Department of Finance, Board of Investments and other investment promotions agencies.
The program will encourage the said business communities, groups and organizations to help in strengthening the supply and value chain in the FAB, and eventually in the country, by supplying raw materials or giving services to the investors that will locate in the Philippines. Aside from supporting the production and financial growth of the locators in the FAB, SMEs and other industries, the program will also help in luring more investors to the freeport. It is in this vein that FAB Kaisa also proposes to focus on the ASEAN Integration where the supply and value chains go regional in scope.
The FAB Assists program, on the other hand, will support the development of Industrial Parks in the FAB through potential investors. Under the FAB Promotes program, the AFAB will continue to expand its promotion efforts through its Marketing, Public Information and Public Relations Arms. After being able to lure more locators to the freeport and maintain its status as the fastest growing freeport in the country for three years, the FAB now is ready to further strengthen and push its brand as the Future’s Answer to Business.
Meanwhile, the Authority also expresses its firm commitment to meet the expectations and need of its registered locators through the FAB Retains program. The program aims to engender trust and confidence on the AFAB through constant coordination that encourages transparency and strong interface with its stakeholders
To further raise awareness about the FAB nationwide, the Authority will launch the FAB General Information Campaign (GIC) this year, where it plans to hold outbound information program. The program includes holding tours, conferences and seminars across the country.
Also, the AFAB plans to institutionalize its corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects by introducing the FAB Gives program. Under this initiative, the AFAB will forge partnership with the Local Government Unit and the locators to formulate CSR projects.
Lastly, the AFAB will start promoting tourism as one of the priority industries of the FAB through the “Discover FAB” program. The Discover FAB program will help in luring more investors to the freeport and also promote the FAB across the country and around the world.
The AFAB also took the opportunity to show to the members of the FTSC the development at the freeport and its facilities.
The FTSC aims to promote Philippine trade and investment worldwide. As part of the International Trade Group, they connect trading businesses of Philippine companies and foreign investors with their counterparts. As of today, FTSC is present in 25 posts in 18 countries in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia and the Pacific.
