MANILA -  The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11981 or the Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino) Act has been completed. It was earlier signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in February this year.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan led the signing ceremony of the IRR in Makati. Representatives of other departments also witnessed the event.

Pascual said the law will help Philippine industries become more competitive in the global value chain as the country upgrades, diversifies, and adds complexities to the various Filipino products and services. The law also institutionalizes various programs DTI had in the past on promoting Philippines products, and this time, all government agencies will be involved.

“Will enable us to keep up with the rapid changes in technology and make good use of this disruptive situation in the technological space. Otherwise, if we are not able to respond to developments around us, we’ll be farther left behind,” Pascual said.

Balisacan added, “This time, we are looking at promoting sectors, industries that have the potential to produce diverse, complex products… Creating more dynamic industries and sectors.“

A Tatak Pinoy Strategy, the country’s first industrial policy institutionalized through law, is also being ironed out. It will outline the plan and action components for the country and for each region or province. Incentives and other financial assistance are also in the works to help Filipino entrepreneurs.

The strategy covers various pillars such as (1) human resources - to upskill workers, (2) infrastructure - to identify needed facilities & innovation hubs, (3) technology and innovation - to check research and development, (4) investments - to align with the government’s investment plans and foreign relations linkages, and lastly, (5) sound financial management - to take into consideration expenditure priorities as well as environmental impact and sustainability.

Senator Sonny Angara, author of the law, said the new law will help the government identify specific products or services that can be scaled up and exported to the world. This will be part of the role of the strategy that is being planned.

“Medyo mahina tayo sa technology transfer. We have been making the same products for the last few decades… Can we be world leaders in this industry? Kasi kung ang pinopromote natin ay hindi naman natin ma scale up ang production. That has been the real challenge whether it’s the coffee industry or many other industries,” Angara said.

Among the initial projects that are lined up because of the new law are the establishment of the Tatak Pinoy Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, building a Wafer Fabrication Facility for the semiconductor sector, and will hold Tatak Pinoy summits and expos.

“There will be a big demand for semiconductors, and semiconductors is a continuing process of development. Because new systems, new apps, new products will require new integrated circuit designs,” added Pascual who said that manufacturing and agriculture will benefit with this new law.