• Ms Therese Yosuico of the European Union (EU);
• Our technical specialists and workshop participants from government agencies, workers and employers organizations and project partners;
• Ladies and gentlemen, good morning to all of you!

Welcome to the STRENGTHEN project workshop on Assessing the Effects of Trade and Employment.

The STRENGTHEN Project is a global project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented in Morocco, Guatemala, Benin, Ghana, Myanmar and the Philippines. The STRENGTHEN Project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), as anchored on eliminating poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring broad and shared prosperity for all.

The project specifically supports Goal 8 on promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Under Goal 8a, the project seeks to increase aid for trade support for developing countries through the Enhanced Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least-Developed Countries.

At the national level, the STRENGTHEN Project has received strong institutional support and cooperation from its partners.

These include the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other national government agencies; workers’ and employers’ organizations; and other relevant stakeholders and actors from the academe and the civil society.

This three-day workshop is part of the project’s commitment to build the capacity of technical specialists, policymakers and researchers from government agencies, workers and employers organizations in the Philippines. The workshop will help to better appreciate, assess and understand the impacts of trade on employment.

Recently, trade issues have gained more importance and have become the centre of global issues with the recently-signed EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the trade implications of Brexit, the uncertainty hanging over the Trans-Pacific Partnership - making this workshop more timely and relevant.

As technical specialists and policymakers, it is vital to keep an eye on trade developments. It is also crucial to prepare for its possible impact on workers, especially in developing countries and emerging market economies like the Philippines.

In this regard, the tools and methods from this workshop will equip and enhance capacity to empirically analyze the impact of trade on employment in the Philippines.

The workshop will further enhance capacity by training and equipping participants with necessary tools and methods to empirically analyze the implications of trade on employment in the Philippines.

In the next three days, you will be introduced to various statistical methodologies and methods such as the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) Framework, Multiplier Analysis, Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Models, Econometric Models, and other qualitative models.

Resource persons and experts from government, academic and international institutions will share their expertise and provide technical learning sessions.

These institutions include the International Trade Center, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Ateneo de Manila University, and the De La Salle University.

We hope that you will find the tools, methods, additional knowledge and technical expertise useful and relevant to your work on policy research and development. Moreover, it is our desire that this workshop, including follow-up sessions will contribute towards achieving sustainable and inclusive development in the Philippines – that benefits society and protects workers amid the changing global landscape and trade negotiations.

Thank you as I wish you all a productive and successful workshop!