The industrialization movement gains ground

The importance of widening our industrial base and expanding our manufacturing sector cannot be overemphasized. Many of my regular readers know that I have been an advocate of this cause since day one and have written about it on several occasions. I have become a staunch supporter of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Sec. Mario Montejo, precisely because of his strong belief that industrialization is the only means by which we can bridge the employment gap and narrow the chasm between the rich and the poor. To this end, the DOST has been channeling resources towards giving the manufacturing sector the technological inputs it needs to become truly competitive. The mining, electronics, agriculture and ICT industries have been great beneficiaries of DOST’s work. Last week, I came across an avalanche of data that suggests Secretary Greg Domingo of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), along with a host of industry groups, have seriously taken up the advocacy as well. Dialogues have been ongoing as to how the country can revive the manufacturing sector. Secretary Domingo has asked the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), an agency chaired by NEDA Chief Sec. Arsenio Balisacan, to take the lead in the planning. PIDS has since initiated talks with 30 industry organizations to ascertain how government can help fully realize their potentials. Each industry was asked to draft their own development roadmap, one that would take them from where they are today to a position of regional competitiveness. So far, the roadmaps of the chemical, pulp and paper, copper and rubber industries have already been submitted. PIDS expects 26 other industries to complete their respective roadmaps this year. This is an incredible development. This proves that the executive branch fully appreciates how the economy will never be able to make the great leap forward unless it goes through industrialization. I can only hope that this movement snowballs to affect both the legislature and general public. Painful reforms need to be rolled out to realize our industrial revolution and would require nothing less than a broad-based buy-in on the concept.