THE government is encouraging manufacturers and allied industries to take full advantage of the benefits available from the economic integration of Asean member states under the Asean Economic Community (AEC) and the various free trade agreements (FTAs) that the Philippines has with its trading partners.

“Local industries have not fully maximized the benefits of the available FTAs,” said Rafaelita Aldaba, senior research fellow and acting vice president of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.