Manila, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry is keeping its 22 percent exports growth goal this year, confident that exports will sustain growth amid fears of a slowdown in the electronics sector.

Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BETP) Director Senen Perlada told reporters the Export Development Council (EDC), a private-public sector group, is going to meet end this month to finalize the draft Philippine Export Development Program (PEDP).

“We are going to keep our 22 percent growth target because the uptick is good and our outlook is positive,” Perlada said.

The initial target under the draft PEDP is an average 10 percent exports growth from 2011 to 2013.

Perlada hinted the possibility of adjusting the target upwards after the EDC meeting and once all the inputs come in.

Perlada even downplayed fears from the electronics sector of a slowdown saying the industry has remained robust. Electronics account for 60 percent of the country’s total exports.

Perlada earlier told reporters the services sector is expected to grow 30 percent this year to account for 16 percent of the country’s total exports.

On the other hand, export of goods is expected to grow 20 from 18 percent.

The growth in the services sector, Perlada said, is propelled by the continued growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and the Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) sectors.

“Now is the time to export. There is no excuse because there is demand and huge goodwill from the international community following the holding of the successful automated elections,” Perlada said.

He even said that the 25-30 percent revised growth target of the Semiconductor and Electronics Institute of the Philippines Inc. is a little bit conservative.

In the meantime, Perlada said the BETP is working closely with the Export Development Council (EDC) to prepare for the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2011-2013.

“We intend to start this plan by September this year and be presented to the new President Noynoy Aquino,” he said.

The new PEDP would take into consideration all the factors and the situation.

“What we have done already is the visioning and reviewed the mission that includes the competitiveness and innovations,” he said.