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FDA extends grace period for complying with hazardous substances registration rules

Household/urban hazardous substances (HUHS) establishments have been given a two-year extension, or until December 31, 2023, to comply with the new product registration requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The two-year transitory period extension covers only product registration and does not apply to licensing requirements, FDA emphasized.

Thus, effective January 1, 2022, a License to Operate (LTO) becomes mandatory for all establishments engaged or intending to engage in HUHS-related activities.

FDA Circular No. 2021-011-A, issued last January 21, extends for two years the transitory period for HUHS establishments to comply with the new registration policy.

The order comes after appeals from the HUHS sector for a longer compliance period to secure marketing authorization for their products as well as in view of the ongoing pandemic-related challenges the country faces.

Earlier, FDA Circular No. 2020-025 had reinstated the requirements of licensing and registration for importers, exporters, manufacturers, toll manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, or re-packers of those engaged in certain HUHS substances.

The circular was supposed to take effect last January 1 after the grace period for compliance ended in December.

But FDA through Circular 2021-011-A now establishes a two-year transitory period for securing a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) for HUHS products as well as provides an interim guideline for product registration and product labeling during this time.

The issuance applies to HUHS products under Categories III and IV and to establishments engaged or intending to engage in their manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, sale, offer for sale, transfer, promotion, advertising and/or sponsorship.

Moreover, the covered products are those intended for consumer or institutional use only and do not include products for industrial use.

Category III covers cleaners, fresheners and deodorizers, dishwashing and laundry detergents/soaps, disinfectants, fabric conditioners/softeners and ironing aids, fresheners and aromatic diffusers, moisture-absorbing agents, polishes, and pool chemicals.

Covered under Category IV are adhesives, glues and sealants; automotive, furniture and jewelry care and restoring products; button batteries; coloring materials; fabric dyes and tattoo dyes; paints, varnishes and thinners; paint stripper; and rut remover/degreasers.

Circular 2021-011-A states: “The 2-year transitory period extension shall apply to the registration of HUHS products. Hence, from 01 January 2022 to 31 December 2023, HUHS establishments may continue to distribute their HUHS products without a CPR from the FDA. However, effective 01 January 2024, a CPR shall be mandatory for all HUHS products distributed in the market.” 

But the extension does not cover licensing requirements.

“The 2-year transitory period extension shall not apply to the licensing of HUHS establishments. Hence, effective 01 January 2022, [an] LTO as HUHS establishment shall be mandatory for all establishments engaged or intending to engage in HUHS- related activities,” the FDA explained.

The agency added that during the grace period, HUHS establishments should also deplete their remaining stocks of HUHS products with labels not compliant with the labeling requirements set forth in Annex J of Circular 2020-025, including with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classifying and labeling chemical requirements.

Circular 2021-011-A also provides the rules covering other authorizations, including customs clearances, sales and promo permits, and Certificate of Free Sale, during the transitory period.

Companies are not mandated to secure sales and promo permits for covered HUHS products, and are also not required to obtain customs clearances as these need the issuance of a valid CPR.

For advertising and sales promotion activities and customs-related concerns, copies of this circular and valid LTO may be presented to the government and non-government entities instead of a valid FDA-issued CPR.

FDA Circular 2020-025 does not cover the following for its reinstated licensing and
registration requirements:

•    Establishments engaged in raw materials used in the production of HUHS
products
•    Retailers of HUHS products
•    HUHS products which are donated, imported for personal use, intended for
exhibits, intended for exclusive use in agricultural setting; intended for other health-related/medical-related use, and intended for research and development and laboratory analysis

FDA Circular 2020-025 provides the implementing guidelines for Administrative Order No. 2019-0019, which reinstates the requirements of licensing for the HUHS sector.

Specifically, this circular establishes the guidelines for the licensing and inspection of HUHS establishments; establishes the guidelines for registration and other relevant authorizations for HUHS products; and updates the categorization of HUHS products. It also seeks to institutionalize the GHS as the new hazard category for labeling of
HUHS products.

It likewise sets out to ensure compliance by HUHS establishments to FDA regulatory standards, such as Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Distribution Practice, Good Storage Practice, and Good Labeling Practice.

February 23, 2022

Textile industry urged to prioritize upskilling of workers, machinery upgrades

Garments and textile industry players are advised to strengthen the skills of their workforce and upgrade their machinery to reduce costs, as they carve out their own market niche to respond to competition.

During the recent 2022 Tela Conference, Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said the government also needs to help address other sources of low productivity in the industry, particularly in terms of lowering power and shipping costs.

Quimbo said the overall competitiveness of the textile industry has been declining over the last two decades amid shrinking labor productivity that may have led to higher prices of Philippine textiles compared to that in other Southeast Asian countries.

She cited an earlier study of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) indicating reasons for the declining competitiveness of the industry, including low worker productivity, low design capabilities, high costs of power and shipping, and low financial capital to invest in merchandising and technology required for value-added services, among others.

Based on this study result, Quimbo urged firms to achieve “economies of scale” by ramping up business operations to reduce unit costs.

“What factories need to do to scale up for more efficient production would include for example investing in machines, again having larger factories or having an assembly line approach to the extent possible,” she said, adding others can have a small semblance of an assembly line only for improving efficiency.

She further cited a 2019 study of the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicating reasons for declining labor productivity in the garments and textile industries in Asian countries, including the Philippines, include lack of adequate operator and management skills, and poor production planning, among others.

Quimbo said there are interventions that can be implemented at the factory level, including upskilling of workers and upgrading of machinery.

She said the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) has already done a lot of research and development (R&D) for the local textile industry sector.

“My humble suggestion is I hope we should not waste that gain. I think we can leverage whatever R&D efforts the DOST has engaged in. We leverage on that so that we can obviously address the other sources of inefficiencies in the industry,” she added.

Quimbo said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provides skills training, while the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) financing arm, the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), is making available credit loans for textile factories.

“In addition, we really need a whole-of-government approach to help the textile industry. There are many concerns or many sources of low productivity levels that are really cross-cutting, meaning it is really beyond the textile industry,” she said, citing as an example the high shipping costs which are the main complaint of many exporters.

To become competitive, Quimbo called on garments and textile companies to find specific market niches and develop a comparative advantage.

“I think design is possibly a comparative advantage at least for local footwear,” she said. “The global market is so huge and if we take advantage of that, we are able to have economies of scale locally.”

Quimbo said the government can also step in terms of consolidating orders of small businesses to meet high volume of orders.

February 23, 2022

RCEP generate trade opportunities for investors in Cambodia

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) builds on the existing free trade agreements created by the ASEAN partnership, further developing economic integration and shaping future trade policies.

The RCEP agreement – that came into force on January 1, 2022 – is designed to reduce trade barriers and improve market access for goods in constituent nations. This partnership, in addition to Cambodia’s existing bilateral FTAs with China and South Korea, are key factors when attracting investment to Cambodia.

Vongsey Vissoth, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, supported this notion at the Macroeconomic Management for 2022 conference. “The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade pact and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) are one of the key factors attracting foreign direct investments to Cambodia in the post-Covid-19 era,” he said.

The RCEP FTA is the world‘s largest trading bloc with 15 countries, including all ASEAN members, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand and are key to promoting economic growth in the long run.

Cambodia’s economy is mainly supported by garment, footwear, tourism, real estate, construction and agriculture will all enjoy positive growth this year.

“Cambodia’s national economy is forecast to grow by 5.6 percent in 2022, up from 3 percent in 2021”, adding that “the growth is expected at a higher rate of 6.5 percent in 2023 and up to 7 percent in 2024.”

This growth will support the government’s plan to provide a stimulus package of more than $1 billion for these sectors in 2022, to boost the economy and mitigate the impacts caused by the pandemic.

For full article, please read here


Author: Sok Sithika

Source: Khmer Times 

ASEAN Business Awards Laos & Skill Development 2021

The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) on Friday presented Asean Business Awards Laos 2021 (ABA Laos) to the winners of the 2021 competition, representing many successful enterprises from a variety of sectors across Laos.

The awards are supported by the Regional Economic Integration of Laos into Asean, Trade and Entrepreneurship Development (RELATED) project run by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).

Speaking at the ABA Laos Gala Dinner, Executive Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, Mr Thanongsinh Kanlagna, said the primary purpose of the ABA Laos is to recognize outstanding enterprises that are innovative and responsive to market needs. The guest of honor at the event and presented the awards to the winners was Deputy Prime Minister, H.E. Prof. Ph.D  Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune. The ceremony was also attended by the German Ambassador to Lao, Ms Annette Knobloch.

Present at the awards ceremony were four Lao winners of the Asean Business Award 2021 named in Brunei, namely the Asean Contract Centre Co., Ltd, Dao Heuang Group Co., Ltd, Ock Pop Tok,and the Angsana Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel. An esteemed panel of judges representing Lao academia and the public and private sectors with the diligent support of our member,  KPMG ensured transparency, fairness and professionalism in the selection process.

The awards are given in four main categories: Lao Priority Integration Sector,SME Excellence, Special Award, and Skill Development.
The five winners of the Lao Priority Integration Sector Excellence Awards were the Generation Public Company (energy), Pheuksa Garden (tourism), Houng Ah Loun Logistics Sole Co., Ltd. (transportation and logistics), Pakxong Development Export-Import Sole Co., Ltd. (agriculture) and Lion Brand Roof Tiles Factory (wholesale/retail).

The winners of the five SME Excellence Awards were Khammany General Service Co., Ltd. for the SME Growth Award, Vientiane Geomatic Services Sole Co., Ltd. were awarded the SME Digitalisation Transformation Award, Star Fintech Sole Co.,Ltd. received the SME Innovation Award, Phathana Tad Ngeuang Waterfall took the SME Employment Award, and the Angsana Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel got the SME Corporate Social ResponsibilityAward. Our silver sponsor, Phongsavanh Insurance (APA) Co., Ltd also received the special award named Start-up Award.

Source: Asean Business Award

PM: Malaysia to develop National Robotics Roadmap

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 17): Malaysia will develop the National Robotics Roadmap (NRR) in an effort to lift robotics technology into mainstream usage to boost national productivity, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

 

He said the roadmap could help to reduce dependence on foreign manpower and minimise the outflow of foreign exchange.

 

Under the plan, the government is targeting to increase the intensity of robot usage from 55 units per 10,000 workers in 2019 to 195 units per 10,000 workers by 2030, he said in a statement here on Thursday (Feb 17).

 

Ismail Sabri said the proposed roadmap was among the decisions reached at a meeting of the National Digital Economy and Fourth Industrial Revolution Council, which was its first for this year.

 

The meeting, attended virtually by the relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies, also endorsed the Catalytic Projects concept to drive the MyDIGITAL Aspiration.

 

Towards this end, the prime minister said, the meeting agreed to set up the MyDIGITAL Catalytic Projects Task Force to select suitable projects and monitor their implementation via the public-private partnership model.

 

He said the Catalytic Projects would be financed by the private sector and the government would play the role of a facilitator.

 

He said the projects to be implemented under this concept include smart medicine targeting the setting up of hospitals using 5G technology and Smart City.

 

Ismail Sabri said the meeting was also briefed on the progress of the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA), where from September 2020 to December 2021 a total of 1.89 million new premises came under fibre optics coverage and 1,189 new 4G towers were built.

 

During the same period, 95% of populated areas were given 4G coverage, he said.

 

The prime minister said the meeting was also told that Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) had initiated access to the 5G wholesale network, with 500 5G sites having been activated as at Dec 31, 2021 in Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur.

 

“DNB is also targeting 3,500 sites, the equivalent of 36% coverage in populated areas, by the end of 2022,” he added.

 

Through the Digital Empowerment of Small Entrepreneurs (PUPUK) programme, he said, 883 Keluarga Malaysia Digital Economic Centres (PEDi) are already in operation, while 28 more will begin operating by March 31 throughout the country.

 

Ismail Sabri said in conjunction with the first anniversary of the launch of Malaysia Digital Economy Action Framework (RTEDM) and introduction of MyDIGITAL, several programmes have been and would be launched throughout February and March.

 

They include Technopreneur Industry Dialogue, several series of dialogues organised by World Bank and MyDIGITAL Corporation, Pasar Siti Khadijah Digital Transformation Programme in Kota Bharu, Kelantan; a roundtable discussion on Islamic Digital Technology and Civil Servant Digital-Savvy Programme.

 

“The outcomes of MyDIGITAL will determine the success of the digitalisation of Keluarga Malaysia as hoped for by 2030,” he said.

Source: The Edge Markets

Digital Nasional Berhad, MRANTI and Ericsson collaborate to develop an on-campus 5G Development Centre

Ericsson advised that the collaboration sees the deployment of 5G coverage and capabilities at MRANTI Park – the creation of MRANTI’s on-campus “5G development centre” with support from DNB – as well as comprehensive knowledge sharing and education efforts for enterprises and the community in MRANTI’s innovation clusters.

MRANTI Park (and the broader Bukit Jalil area) is among the first few areas in Kuala Lumpur to receive 5G coverage.

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Kuala Lumpur by DNB chief corporate affairs officer Zuraida Jamaluddin, MRANTI chief executive officer Dzuleira Abu Bakar, and Ericsson head of Malaysia Sri Lanka & Bangladesh David Hägerbro https://www.linkedin.com/in/hagerbro/ (pictured).

The MoU will see Ericsson leveraging its experience and technology to provide input for the development of use cases to increase the uptake of 5G, as well as to support local start-ups and technopreneurs on 5G development and readiness. Ericsson will also be participating in a 5G knowledge building program through activities such as presentations and seminars, the company advised.

“To deliver the full value of 5G to Malaysia, we need to bring together partners to collaborate, innovate and incubate ideas to nurture a thriving ecosystem. This collaboration involving DNB, MRANTI and Ericsson will be a catalyst to launch Malaysia into the digital economy through the development of local skills and transfer of knowledge, where we will be contributing our industry leading expertise,” said David Hägerbro.

DNB will be working closely with MRANTI and Ericsson in the 5G infrastructure planning and execution, and in facilitating knowledge sharing sessions on 5G technology and related capabilities. This partnership is a testament of DNB’s support of MRANTI’s aspiration to have an on-campus 5G development centre for their innovation clusters, and for the creation of their 5G use cases and experiences, Ericsson said.

“Given MRANTI’s position as the national research commercialisation agency and key technology enabler, we are delighted to explore and enable the exciting possibilities that 5G has to offer. This empowers communities in MRANTI Park to avail themselves of 5G technology and capabilities, eventually building it into future products and services,” said Zuraida Jamaluddin.

Ericsson advised that MRANTI will offer 5G technology capabilities across its facilities, promote its awareness and use, including facilitating its application in key development clusters, and other developmental and partnership programmes including the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS), of which MRANTI is the lead secretariat.

Additionally, MRANTI will host Area 57, a centre of excellence for dronetech, and the first Artificial Intelligence Park in Malaysia with various facilities such as the aforementioned 5G development centre, Sustainable Urban Farming Incubation Facility, Biotechnology Incubation Hub and Autonomous Vehicle & Robotics Hub.

All these services and facilities are interlinked and go hand-in-hand with the development of 5G technology.

“We continue to equip innovators, researchers and businesses at MRANTI Park with the latest infrastructure and expert capabilities for advanced technology development, with a view to driving returns on innovation across the ecosystem. The collaboration also serves to accelerate our position as the leading 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) hub - in which we have the latest facilities and resources to support industry growth – including for dronetech, autonomous vehicles, agritech and more,” said Dzuleira Abu Bakar.

Further, MRANTI Park will be reinvented to make promising research and development and early technology products economically viable. In order to achieve this, MRANTI will need a strong foundation consisting of 5G infrastructure and data driven services to strengthen its tech ecosystem and develop promising use cases to be accelerated for commercialisation, Ericsson stated.

“My immediate focus is the rejuvenation and revitalisation of the park into a hub that accelerates the commercialisation of innovation and technology,” Dzuleira concluded.

Source: iTWire

“Hybrid Seminar on Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing in Myanmar”

According to the ASEAN-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement Fund , Ministry of Industry, Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection held the third phase of Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing in Myanmar, “Hybrid Seminar on Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing in Myanmar” at M Gallery Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on 27th – 28th January 2022 with the aim of sharing good practices of innovation to food processing industry in Myanmar and  the development of food processing industry in ASEAN-Hong Kong region.

The Representatives from ASEAN and Hong Kong joined the seminar virtually and MSMEs from Region, State, Naypyidaw Union Territory and Officials from the SME Development Department, Industrial Supervision and Inspection Department also attended physically. At the opening ceremony of the Hybrid Seminar on Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing in Myanmar, Dr. Wah Wah Maung, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, Myanmar SEOM Lead and Ms. Sri D Kusumarwardhani , the Representative of ASEAN Secretariat delivered the opening remarks respectively.

At the seminar, the experts shared the experiences mentored to the selected MSMEs of the 1st phase of the project, Local and International Panelists discussed in Panel Session with the title of “Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing”, the selected MSMEs made the presentation about the differences of business situations before and after mentoring, and MSMEs from ASEAN Members States (AMS) on Hong Kong also shared experiences of Innovation and best practices.

By implementing the project of “Innovative Products Practices for Food Processing in Myanmar”, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises-MSMEs in AMS and Hong Kong have many advantages. They are strengthening knowledge and capacities of innovation, and enhancing the understanding of best innovative practices which are being used in other countries, increasing the quality of  products in line with International Standards and utilizing strategies based on the innovation knowledge of food industries, creating business linkages among international participants and market opportunities in AMS and Hong Kong.

Cambodia: Singapore eyes local cold-storage scene

Singapore intends to invest in cold storage in Cambodia as the agricultural sector faces a dire need to safely and adequately store quality products to boost exports.

The intent was expressed by a delegation of Singaporean investors led by foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan at a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on February 16.

The delegation also sought to explore investment options available in the Cambodian transport sector, and to further expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon told The Post that Singapore’s interest in investing in cold product storage is something his ministry has always desired, to facilitate the process of freezing fish and meat, and hence reduce health risks.

He said private businesses must have their own cold storage and packaging facilities that are up to standards in order to export processed fish products, but added that high electricity prices were a major deterrent.

“A private company called Mekong Express previously invested in the construction of such a cold storage facility that would have been kept at a temperature of minus 30 degrees Celsius – out in the Chaom Chao area of Phnom Penh – where it also had a warehouse to store agricultural products to export to Japan in the future.

“But then that plan was derailed by irregular electricity, and [the facility] was later turned into another warehouse,” Sakhon said.

Cold storage will be vital in maintaining the safety and quality of agricultural products for export, especially fish and meat, he said, stressing that Cambodia has the capacity to supply meat to ship abroad.

For full article, please read here


Author: Hom Phanet 

Source: The Phnom Penh Post 

Singapore-invested 100sq km agriculture hub launched in Cambodia

HLH Agriculture (Cambodia) Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore’s Hong Lai Huat Group Ltd, has announced the inauguration of the mixed-use Cambodia-Singapore Agricultural Hub (CSAH) in northwestern Kampong Speu province, as well as the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to help attract foreign players to invest in the project.

Covering 100sq km in Oral district, the CSAH was inaugurated on the night of February 18 at a ceremony attended by many major investors, a considerable portion being from Singapore.

The project was designed by prominent Singaporean architectural firm Swan & Maclaren Architects, which divided the land into 16 distinct areas designated for farming, animal husbandry, animal feed production, private land, shared accommodation, diversified business centres, mining, industry, solar power, construction materials, among others.

HLH Agriculture representative Ryan Ong Jia Ming said the CSAH would be developed in three phases, adding that Swan & Maclaren Architects’ design would help make the project an important area to serve for agriculture, living and doing business.

He said a good part of the hub would also be reserved for open areas, green areas, reservoirs and roads for transportation, transforming it into a “leading eco-agricultural city” in the Kingdom.

“As a Singapore-listed company, Hong Lai Huot Group Limited has many years of experience in the large-scale real estate market and real estate development in Singapore and Cambodia.

“We are committed to bringing high-level skills and expertise to development in Cambodia,” Ong said.

On the occasion of the inauguration, Hong Lai Huat Group and SMF virtually signed an MoU to help increase and enhance the agricultural sector and business investment opportunities in Singapore for the CSAH.

For full article, please read here


Author: Hin Pisei 

Source: The Phnom Penh Post 

Thailand and United States Partner to Promote Next-Generation Wi-Fi and Connectivity

On 17 February, 2022, The United States, the Royal Thai Government, and business leaders began a workshop to exchange information on the importance of next generation Wi-Fi technology and the allocation of 6 GHz spectrum, which will not only make home Wi-Fi faster, but further strengthen Thailand’s position as a center of advanced manufacturing and industry innovation.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), the Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (ONDE) and the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), kicked off a two-day workshop on the utilization of the 6 GHz spectrum band, including wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi. The event included industry and government experts from the United States and Thailand, who shared technical advice and best practices that will foster further development of Thailand’s communications infrastructure and economic development goals.

Unlicensed spectrum (or radio frequency) bands and Wi-Fi technologies play an important role in the global digital economy. Devices such as wireless routers, smart phones and laptops that employ Wi-Fi and other unlicensed standards have become indispensable for providing low-cost wireless connectivity in countless products used by consumers and industry. Wi-Fi already supports an estimated 30 billion connected devices globally and will be the connection point for over 70 percent of mobile data traffic by 2023.

The proliferation of these technologies and new applications will require additional spectrum capacity. Thailand and other ASEAN countries are now determining how to allocate the 6 GHz spectrum band, which not only will impact applications such as Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced manufacturing, but will also empower innovative technologies, applications and services that will drive the new digital economy and benefit consumers.

“The U.S. Government is committed to supporting Thailand 4.0. Working in partnership with America’s private sector, the U.S. Department of State, Department of Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, USTDA is helping to share experience that will enable the next generation of Wi-Fi and play a major role in the growth of Internet of Things in Thailand,” noted Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath. In April 2020, the United States became the first country in the world to allocate the entire 6 GHz spectrum band for open technologies such as Wi-Fi.

“I would like to express sincere gratitude towards the U.S. Embassy, USTDA and other related U.S. agencies for making this workshop possible. Thailand recognizes the need to accelerate the availability and affordability of next-generation wireless applications and services, and how access to the 6 GHz band will play a part in this equation,” said Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn.

Key participants included Thai and U.S. government officials, U.S. and Thai industry experts, as well as regulatory stakeholders from the ASEAN region. The Office of the NBTC also provided updates on the current state-of-play on Thailand’s 6 GHz spectrum allocation.

“The Office of the NBTC is exploring options that would maximize the utilization of our 6 GHz resources to drive further digitization and innovation for our economy. We have been following the Technological Neutrality principle while participating in the ongoing technical discussions at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conferences, from which we expect final recommendations on the 6 GHz spectrum next year. I strongly believe that all participants from both governmental and non-governmental sectors, including regulators from ASEAN countries, will acquire many informative inputs during this two-day workshop, especially from those at the forefront in allocating 6 GHz band like the United States and their respective industries.” said NBTC Acting Secretary General Trairat Viriyasirikul.

The United States and Thailand have enjoyed a strong relationship that spans two centuries. The historic partnership extends from the age of sail to the telegraph; from wireless radio to the digital age of today. Thailand has already made its mark in the global digital economy, boasting a successful early rollout of 5G and ranks among the world’s highest mobile banking and social media usage rates. The United States and its private sector stand ready to build on this long partnership with Thailand by expanding innovation, investment, and knowledge sharing to achieve shared prosperity.

Hybrid working can save employers US$11,000 per worker a year: IWG

The Business Times reported that apart from reducing employees’ carbon footprint from commuting, hybrid working is projected to save organisations an average of US$11,000 every year for every person who works remotely for half of the week. Highlighting this in its latest trends forecast white paper for 2022, workspace service provider IWG said an increased and accelerated adoption of the hybrid working model is expected in the year, and businesses may take the chance to reduce overheads. 

The report pointed out that offices no longer have to accommodate all employees at the same time, and this means that companies can downsize their workspace. Not only does this result in leaner corporate real estate footprints, this gives businesses the opportunity to increase profit margins, it said, noting that office rent is typically one of a company’s biggest costs. The US$11,000 estimated savings IWG referred to was calculated based on conservative assumptions by Global Workplace Analytics. The research-based consulting firm had noted that the primary savings will come from increased productivity, lower real estate costs, reduced absenteeism and turnover and better disaster preparedness. Global Workplace Analytics also gave estimations for the amount employees may save by working at home half the time. It is between US$600 and US$6,000 a year. The savings are primarily due to reduced costs for travel, parking and food. They are net of additional energy costs and home food costs. In terms of time, an employee who works at home half the time saves the equivalent of 11 workdays per year in the time they would have otherwise spent commuting, it noted. Back on how employers can capitalise on the hybrid working trend, IWG said businesses expanding either domestically or internationally can provide employees with access to satellite workspaces that are not at the head office. This allows businesses to contract or expand directly in line with how many employees they have, rather than taking out long, rigid office leases that can end up being cripplingly expensive, it said. Besides, having a lower corporate real estate footprint also means lower utility bills, cleaning fees and office equipment costs – again contributing to reduced overheads, IWG added. 

The 10 trends IWG listed in its white paper also include hyper flexibility, workforce dispersion, suburban revitalisation, and green dividends. Its observation of the trend of hyper flexibility stems from IWG’s survey last year, which found that almost half of all office workers would quit if asked to go back to the office 5 days a week. The survey also found that 72 per cent of all office workers said they would prefer the option of hybrid working to a 10 per cent pay rise, if offered the choice. “Pre-pandemic, some forward looking companies were beginning to embrace flexible working, but in 2022 and beyond, hyper flexibility will be an expectation. And if companies don’t allow it, people will look elsewhere for a job,” it said. Already, it pointed out, a study by flexible working consultancy firm Timewise had found that the proportion of job adverts offering flexible working has almost doubled to 26 per cent since the beginning of the pandemic. On the trend of green dividends, IWG said hybrid working lets businesses “easily achieve” substantial green dividends in areas such as sustainable cities and communities, as well as clean energy and climate action. It again cited Global Workplace Analytics, which had found that if all US residents who could and wanted to work from home started doing so for half the week, it would be the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking the entire New York State workforce off the road. Pointing out that even a modest reduction in business travel by air in favour of video conferences can make a significant difference, IWG said this is probably why executive jet-setting will need to be carefully considered in the decade ahead.


Source: The Business Times

Date: 17 February 2022

Link: Here

Businesses and economies should seize growth opportunities in digital and green economies

The Business Times reported that economies and businesses should seize growth prospects in the digital and green economies even as the focus remains on reopening borders safely and maintaining supply chain resilience. Within the digital economy space, there are many areas to consider to improve business to business connectivity within the region, noted Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong. Minister Gan was speaking at the APEC Business Advisory Council Meeting (ABAC) on Feb 16 where he was the guest of honour. About 200 delegates from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies attended the meeting at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. He noted that the digital economy agreements signed, such as the Digital Economy Agreement between Singapore and Australia, and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement among Chile, New Zealand and Singapore, provide useful reference points on the common rules and interoperable standards for digital trade.

On the green economy front, the acceleration of global climate action has opened up opportunities in the green economy such as green finance, renewable energy and low-carbon solutions. This, he said, is a "global priority and collective responsibility", requiring collaboration at all levels. Separately, while businesses can take place virtually, nothing can replace in-person interactions to build relationships and trust, said Minister Gan, adding that ABAC's efforts last year on the Taskforce on Reopening Borders for Safe and Seamless Travel have added value to the conversations at Apec, and "positively contributed" to the establishment of the APEC Safe Passage Taskforce under Thailand's chairmanship. The event was formally opened by ABAC 2022 chairman, Supant Mongkolsuthree. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is the ABAC Singapore Secretariat and the organiser for the meeting in Singapore. The hybrid event is the first in-person meeting for ABAC members in almost two years following COVID-19.


Source: The Business Times

Date: 17 February 2022

Link: Here

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