After launching its pilot run in December last year, the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) will formally commence its ARISE Plus online training platform for select exporters and enterprises in the first quarter of 2024. 

The ARISE Plus training is a "virtual learning system" developed by the International Trade Center (ITC) based in Geneva, Switzerland, in consultation with exporters in the Philippines.

It is in line with the four-year ARISE Plus Philippines project that aims to help traders gain market access to the European Union (EU), enhancing trade relationships between the country and Europe. 

Online training courses will be offered, with digital access to learning materials and documents. In-person facilitated workshops will also be held. 

In a TV interview on Tuesday, Jan. 2, PTTC Executive Director Nelly Dillera said it has already coordinated with the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional offices to gather potential and established exporters who want to participate in the program. 

The agency has also tapped the assistance of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) for recruitment of enterprises and program support. 

Dillera said their first targets are the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that have the biggest chances and potential for exporting. 

Among the top export products identified by the PTTC are processed and fresh-frozen tuna, tropical fruits such as bananas, avocodas, and durian, and electronics. 

It is also widening its scope to include more MSMEs in the creative industries such as culinary, visual design, and game development. 

For the whole of 2023, the PTTC finished its six modules which involve "rules of international trade," "pro forma invoice," "rules of origin for Filipino exporters," "working with freight forwarders for the logistics and supply chain," "reducing cross-border inefficiences," and "regulatory requirements to export food to the European Union (EU)."

It also held training sessions for trainers from the PTTC. Around 15 to 20 in-house trainers will be involved in its initial run. 

"We also will have established exporters to help us run the training. Because I think our exporters will also be interested to find out the experiences of our exporters as far as bringing their products abroad, and the preparations they conduct. We're really looking into the product and the person who will be negotiating with the buyers and facilitating the bringing of their products to export markets," said Dillera in a mix of English and Filipino. 

Dillera explained that the PTTC aims to strengthen cross-border trade opportunities, while helping Filipino MSMEs as opportunities have widened for enterprises to sell their products abroad.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed. When we do this, whole-of-society, whole-of-government approach, we think we can contribute a lot to our exporters based in the Philippines," she added.