The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Thursday said there is no additional amount that the government could allocate for exporters other than the P200 million that had been released under the Export Support Fund (ESF).

Trade and Industry Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino categorically told reporters that there has been no ESF anymore.

“The exporters asked for P1 billion, but only P200 million had been granted and that’s it,” Aquino said. The P200 million were supposed to assist exporters’ organizations activities to help them during the crisis period.

It could be recalled that then DTI Secretary Peter B. Favila said that the P1-B ESF fund had been diverted into the calamity fund to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy and El Niño.

Aquino even said that DTI Secretary Jesli A. Lapus had written the Department of Budget and Management to inquire if there could be additional fund for exporters. The DBM has not responded yet to request of Lapus.

President Gloria Arroyo announced the P1 billion ESF in 2008 to assist the ailing exports sector in light of the snowballing impact of the global financial crisis.

Of the P200 million ESF, Aquino said that P40.77 million had been liquidated already by the exporters’ organizations.

The remaining P160 million are still subject to liquidation like the submissions of receipts and reimbursements of expenses and the normal audit procedure of the government.

“The jewelry sector is one of the sectors that received significant support from the fund,” Aquino stressed.

Other recipient sectors include the gifts, housewares and home accessories, handicrafts, herbal producers, food processors and furniture.

Hinting that there is no urgent need for government to help exporters, Aquino said that the, “Market is now returning for exporters.”