Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan reiterates his proposal to use local PPEs (personal protective equipment) and other Covid-related needs for the country’s overall economic recovery.
“Pagkakataon ang krisis. Crisis is opportunity. Makaka-recover tayo economically, magkakaroon ng trabaho ang marami kung gagamitin natin ang gawa ng sarili nating mga kababayan,” Pangilinan said in reaction to news that 3,500 workers of local PPE manufacturers have been laid off due to lack of demand.
“May pangangailangan para sa PPEs at kayang tugunan ng lokal na industriya. Sinabi na natin yan noong una pa, na gamitin natin ang sariling atin para makabangon ulit ang ating ekonomiya,” said the author of Senate Bill 1759 or the Pandemic Protection Act.
Filed August 2020, the proposed measure seeks to exempt from taxes importation of needed materials for the production of PPEs to help lower the cost of production. It also seeks to exempt the local sales of Covid-response critical products and services from value-added tax.
“We had hoped this will incentivize the government to support local. Maraming pwedeng solusyon. Sana mapunta ang pera ng gobyerno sa lokal na mga manufacturers kaysa mapunta pa sa ibang bansa. Suportahan at bigyan ng trabaho ang ating mga kababayan. We fully support the proposed Senate hearing to look into this matter,” Pangilinan said.
In a Senate hearing last week, members of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep) said they had to lay off as much as 3,500 workers in repurposed factories in December 2020.
This is after the Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE (CPMP) responded to the government’s call in March 2020 to reconfigure their facilities to be able to produce medical-grade PPEs locally.
According to CPMP, local suppliers were not maximized in the government’s comprehensive procurement program when they joined in November to December 2020.
Only 27 percent of the government’s monthly demand for cover-alls and gowns, and 69 percent of the monthly mask capacity were granted to local suppliers and were already delivered in January and February 2021.
Only 660 million pesos worth of PPEs were purchased by the government locally, according to CPMP.
Investments to upgrade local production of PPEs were as much as 1.7 billion pesos, with the industry continuing to incur losses at present.
“We urge the government to reconsider and review its procurement program. Pwede namang hindi nawalan ng trabaho ang 3,500 nating kababayan. Sa gitna ng pandemya, kailangang-kailangan ang trabaho. In fact, pwedeng gamiting oportunidad ang krisis na ito para magkaroon ng bagong sigla ang ating industriya,” Pangilinan said.
Source: http://www.senate.gov.ph
