Senator Imee Marcos expressed that the Philippines should end its reliance on foreign personal protective equipment (PPE) and instead boost its capacity to develop and manufacture equipment for frontliners.
Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, has filed Senate Bill 1708, or the "Healthcare Manufacturing and Pandemic Protection Act," to absolve local producers from certain taxes and to keep export incentives even on their yield for local consumption.
"Waiving export requirements during a crisis and crediting output for local needs will allow a major industry like the garments industry to preserve hundreds of thousands of jobs and even to expand," Sen. Marcos said.
The bill also guarantees that exporters can continue to earn incentives even though most of the medical supplies provided go to the Department of Health and private hospitals.
The Department of Trade and Industry and a group of exporters of clothing have committed to producing 300,000 PPE per month. Marcos said, adding that this could be extended to the bill submitted.
"During health emergencies, we should give priority to local manufacturers when the government needs to procure PPE and other medical supplies," she added.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS