German-PH trade and investment remain on upswing

Tweet

German trade with the Philippines continues to be on an uptrend, with bilateral trade registering a record-high of 38.1 percent increase in the first quarter of 2015 amidst positive feedback of the country’s business climate.

Trade volume between Germany and the Philippines showed a landmark increase to US$ 1.57-billion in 2015 from US$ 1.17-billion registered for the same period last year.

Trade growth remains in favor of the Philippines with exports increased to US$860.6 million during the first quarter of 2015 compared to the US$758.2 Million during the same period last year, according to data by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) lauded the double digit growth saying it is proof of the growing interest of German companies in the country. 

GPCCI executive director Peter Kompalla cited the latest P3.77-billion contract of German company Voith Turbo to supply railway components and drive-lines for the new 48 light rail vehicle train sets for the MRT3 of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

Voith Turbo, represented in the Philippines by Maschinen & Technik, Inc. (MATEC) in the last 36 years is a leader in German drive technology.

Likewise, Kompalla said he is confident that German firms such as Matec Solar Power, engaged in Renewable Energy, will increase presence in the Philippines, which is rich in natural energy resources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric.

Total trade between the two countries reached US$5.24 billion in 2014 from US$ 4.48 billion in 2013.

Kompalla said the double digit growth valued at US$760 million can be attributed to the growing interest of German companies to trade with and invest in the Philippines.

In a press statement, he said the aggressive promotion of the Philippines as an emerging investment destination in Southeast Asia has paid off.

“The Philippines is indeed back in the radar screen of German investors,” the GPCCI official said.

He said many factors contribute to the growing interest in the Philippines such as governance reforms of the Aquino administration and the positive investments grade outlook by credible institutions such as Moody’s and Standard and Poors.

Increase in bilateral trade volume remains in favor of the Philippines with export growth to Germany at 16 per cent to US$3 billion in 2014 compared to US$2.59 billion in 2013.

At the same time, German exports to the Philippines grew by 18 per cent to US$2.24 billion in 2014 from US$ 1.90 billion in 2013

Kompala welcomed the renewed interest of German investors in the Philippines following a more than ten year lull.

GPCCI figures showed that top Philippine exports to Germany include data processing equipment, electrical and optical products; electrical equipment; clothing; food and fodder; as well as chemical products.

On the other hand, top German exports to the Philippines include data processing equipment; electrical and optical products; food and fodder; other vehicles; pharmaceuticals and related and chemical products.

Top German investors in the Philippines include Continental, Lufthansa, car manufacturer Volkswagen, Steag, Bayer, Deutsche Bank and SGV.

German investors are also expanding Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operations in the Philippines for their accounting and banking services as the country becomes the world’s top BPO center surpassing India.

German company develops technology to address job mismatch

Tweet

JobMatch.pro, the latest innovation from the German IT provider- ISI Teletrade, was introduced during the press briefing held at the Dohle Haus, Makati City, June 5, 2014.

A new job search engine site created by German and Filipino web developers is offering a cool way to help you land in a job that suits your skills and at the same time, relieves employers from the stress of hunting for the right talents.

JobMatch.pro is launched simultaneously here in Manila and in Germany to address the lingering problems of job mismatch. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) pegged underemployment or those still looking for another job at 7-million while unemployment is at 2.96 million.

JobMatch.pro is the latest innovation from the German IT provider- ISI Teletrade which uses an intelligent software that recognizes suitable talents while blocking those unmatched applications.

ISI Teletrade, a member of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) has 35 years of experience in marketing and 'sales psychology' and founded in Bochum, Germany. It has 150 competent staff in three offices in the Netherlands, Curacao in the Venezuelan coast and now the Philippines.

Mr. Peter Steinbach, the brains behind JobMatch.pro. His company is one of the first few members of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry. GPCCI has been encouraging German SMEs to invest in the Philippines and ISI Teletrade, the mother company of JobMatch.pro, is among those who responded.

In a press briefing Thursday morning, ISI Teletrade founder and JobMatch.pro creator Peter Steinbach said the program will practically reduce by 90 per cent the effort and time of both employers looking for the right talents and applicants looking for the right jobs to match their skills.

How it works

First, employers post a job opening advertisement with content-related categories on the skills requirements.

Applicants will only need to click on keywords to fit their skills qualifications with the requirements of the job opening.

The JobMatch.pro software program sends 'bidder flags' or the pink colored star to the employers to indicate that there are qualified applicants who have expressed interest.

The bidder flags will remain invisible to the applicants until the employers decide to contact them for additional documents such as Resume' and other requirements.

Job hunters on the other hand, can create profiles where they can indicate their skills and the job they are looking for. The program can detect if there are job openings that match the job hunter’s skills and the would-be employee will then be flagged about the match.

The JobMatch.pro program is an innovation from the out-dated job search engines where an individualized application letter is sent along with resume, certificates and documents that mostly contain errors from typos, wrong address and incomplete information.

PH as perfect market

The Philippines is a perfect market for JobMatch.pro owing to the hundreds of thousands of job openings by foreign and local investors now taking advantage of the country's emerging economy.

The latest job search innovation by JobMatch.pro also addresses the difficulty of new graduates and those who are still looking for jobs that suit their skills to find the right employment. Getting hired in a profession that suits ones skills allows both employee and the company to grow simultaneously.

Figures from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) show that there are 700,000 new college graduates every year but only 20 per cent of them actually get jobs. The rest remain unemployed or seek jobs abroad.