Philippines launches Tatak Pinoy for industrial growth

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The inaugural meeting of the Tatak Pinoy Council (TPC), held on April 3, 2024, marks a significant turn in the Philippines’ industrialization efforts, propelled by the recent implementation of Republic Act No. 11981, known as the Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino) Act.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual stated, “The Tatak Pinoy Act is a historic step forward, institutionalizing a policy that supports local industries and generates quality jobs for our people.”

During the TPC’s first assembly, officials delineated the Tatak Pinoy Act’s key elements and introduced a comprehensive work plan for the Tatak Pinoy Industrial Policy (TPIP) program. This program aims to enhance economic complexity and foster diversification, emphasizing industries poised for global growth. It encompasses a series of initiatives focused on substantial investments in industrial innovation, skills development, and market expansion.

Embracing a science, technology, and innovation (STI)-led approach to industrialization, the TPIP program aspires to produce innovative products and services. Notably, it will inaugurate the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) and the Industry 4.0 Pilot Factory (I4PF) to leverage AI and Industry 4.0 technologies, positioning the Philippines at the forefront of cutting-edge industrial sectors.

DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba remarked, “With the Tatak Pinoy Act, we’re ushering in a new era of industrialization, designed to elevate Filipino excellence and enable our industries to thrive globally.”

Signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on February 26, the Tatak Pinoy Act seeks to invigorate the Philippine industrial sector by boosting the productivity and global competitiveness of local industries. The legislation aims to diversify products and services, focusing on complexity and quality, to strategically place the Philippines within international value and supply chains.

The act has established a 13-member council helmed by the DTI Secretary, flanked by the heads of key departments and four private sector representatives.

Secretary Pascual emphasized the council’s historical role: “We are setting the strategy’s cornerstones, building a legacy that will empower future Filipino innovators to elevate our products and refine our services.”

The TPC is charged with crafting the multi-year Tatak Pinoy Strategy (TPS), an integrated industrial roadmap intended to synchronize and amplify current initiatives and catalyze the country’s economic metamorphosis.

The council’s scope extends to spearheading five foundational pillars: human resources, infrastructure, technology and innovation, investments, and fiscal management.

With public consultations on the horizon, the DTI seeks to engage stakeholders in shaping the Implementing Rules and Regulations and to finalize preparations for the TPS, thus beginning a new chapter in Philippine industrial progress.