Japanese frms see ASEANs rising importance over Chinaby Bernie MagkilatNovember 2, 2014While many of Japanese manufacturers still continue to recognize the importance of China as a manufacturer of the world, only a minority said that China could maintain this status into the future as more Japanese frms anticipate ASEA to dou!le its importance than what it holds today, sur"ey said#$his was re"ealed in the frst %&S Japan 'anufacturing and $rade $rends sur"ey, which loo(s into the current and future trends of the manufacturing industry in the conte)t of glo!al trade and logistics# image* http*++www#m!#com#ph+wp,content+uploads+-./0+//+Asean ,1..)-/-#2pgASEA head3uarters in Ja(arta + &hoto !y 4unawan 5artapranata 67wn wor(8 9CC,:;,SA,1#. "ia Wi(imedia Commons$he %&S sur"ey was conducted online !etween July 0 to /., -./0 with /,./. respondents from Japan#0 percent for S'Es#4i"en the importance of glo!al trade, Japanese manufacturers also see how free trade agreements can enhance their !usiness# Around D? percent of the respondents from large enterprises !elie"e the $rans,&acifc &artnership 6$&&8 will positi"ely aEect their !usiness# :y contrast, half of Japanese S'Es !elie"e the $&& will ha"e no impact on their !usiness#$hough representing o"er F. percent of !usinesses, S'Es in Asia are particularly disad"antaged !y trade !arriers !ecause they do not ha"e the resources of large frms to o"ercome them# $rade agreements such as the $&&, can help S'Es !y simplifying trade and eliminating trade !arriers# $he low recognition of free trade agreements among Japanese S'Es shows that there are still opportunities for them to ta(e ad"antage of trade li!eralization to capture new growth opportunities, added @eung#$he %&S sur"ey also 3uoted a recent report from $ransport Gntelligence, China continues to !e the manufacturer of the world, e"en as low,"alue and mass manufacturers steadily mo"e to lower,cost countries such as Hietnam, 'yanmar, Cam!odia, @aos, and :angladesh#$his shift in manufacturing will lead to greater trade opportunities within Asia, gi"ing rise to a need for a relia!le intra,Asia logistics partner#$he sur"ey also noted that manufacturers need to streamline and optimize logistics for growth#@ogistics supporting international operations and trade is "iewed as important or somewhat important !y ==#? percent of the sur"ey percent for f"e years, =#.1D percent for /. years, =#D=D percent for /D years, =#= percent for -. years, F#.D percent for -D years, and /. percent under a 1.,year f)ed,pricing period#Gn 7cto!er -./1, &ag,G:G4 Ound reduced the interest rates for indi"idual or retail housing loans, to >#1>D percent for three years, =#-D. percent for f"e years, nine percent for /. years, F#?-D percent for /D years, /.#-D. percent for -D years, /.#=>D percent for -. years and //#1>D percent for 1. years# &ag,G:G4 is regularly re"iewing its policies and programs so that the sta(eholders, the &ag,G:G4 mem!ers in particular,will get more !enefts from their mem!ership with &ag,G:G4# 7ur o!2ecti"e is to ma(e &ag,G:G4 Ound more rele"ant to the e"eryday li"es of &ag,G:G4 mem!ers, the oPcial said#@ast month, &ag,G:G4 issued new guidelines on housing loans, allowing its mem!ers to ha"e multiple &ag,G:G4 loans, pro"ided they are 3ualifed, can aEord the monthly amortization, and the total loan "alue must not e)ceed &? million#A &ag,G:G4 mem!er who is named as a co,!orrower of an e)isting loan will also !e allowed to apply for a new housing loan under these guidelines, !ut the outstanding !alance of his e)isting loan will !e included in the computation of the total loan "alue#:er!era!e said the present management ta(es into consideration the &ag,G:G4 mem!ers< suggestions#We ta(e seriously the comments and suggestions of our sta(eholders and the &ag,G:G4 mem!ers# $his is "ery important to us !ecause it is through this listening process we are a!le to (now how eEecti"e the programs we introduce are and from there, we can ma(e ad2ustments if need !e# So in the end, &ag,G:G4 is a!le to pro"ide programsthat suit the needs of &ag,G:G4 mem!ers, she said#$he reduced interest rates of &ag,G:G4 are applica!le to !orrowers under the End,%ser Oinancing 6E%O8 &rogram where a 3ualifed &ag,G:G4 mem!er could a"ail of a ma)imum loan of &? million, the agency said#$his !eneft also e)tends to e)isting !orrowers whose accounts are already due for repricing, depending on the repricing period they ha"e chosen at point of housing loan application, it said# Q$ith Jose Rodel Clapano!hilippine peso% A haven o& sta'ilit(&IG@ER%G$; C7BEB :y Halentino Sy 6$he &hilippine Star8 N %pdated Oe!ruary -, -./D , /-*..amWith slowing economies around the world, go"ernments are worried a!out a dou!le,dip recession and deSation, hence the coordinated action !y central !an(s in pre"ious years to stimulate through RE and low interest rates# Ai"ergent central !an( policiesSince the -nd half of -./0, howe"er, central !an( policies ha"e started to di"erge and economies reco"ered at diEerent speeds# While the Oed is already e)pected to raise rates !y mid,-./D as the %S economy remains on trac( forsolid growth, many countries continue to struggle with their respecti"e economies and are still on the easing path#$his eEecti"ely fueled the strong appreciation of the %S dollar the past si) months#Gn the midst of this dollar !ull,run, howe"er, the peso has !een a ha"en of sta!ility, staying well within its sweet spotof 01 to 0D#D. despite increasingly "olatile swings in the currency mar(ets#Slowing economies, low interest rate regimes, looming currency war$he :7J