PH cranking out 56 M masks a month, says DTI
Published Sep 9, 2020 08:11 pm
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez reiterated before congressmen Wednesday the agency's commitment to prioritize locally made personal protective equipment (PPE) over imported ones.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez. (ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO FILE PHOTO)
This, as Lopez touted the local industry's now-impressive production capacity just a few months after the sector began.
"Ang ginawa po ng DTI ay tayo po ay nagsimula ng industriya na dati ay hindi existing (sa bansa). Eto po ay yung mga gumagawa ng mga masks, PPEs, overalls (What DTI did was start an industry that previously didn't exist in the country. These are the producers of masks, PPEs, and overalls)," Lopez said during the House Appropriations Committee's scrutiny of the agency's budget under the P4.506-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2021.
"We're happy and proud to say na from zero capacity, yung atin pong mask production, 56 million a month na po. Yung ating overalls, from zero capacity before pandemic, ngayon po three million pieces a month. So marami na po tayong nagagawa locally (From zero capacity, our mask production is now 56 million a month. As for overalls, from zero capacity before pandemic, it is now at three million pieces a month. So we are now producing a lot locally)," he said.
The DTI boss further noted that Philippine-made PPEs are of "above-standard" quality.
"I must say, immediately right after ma-certify po sila (ng Food and Drug Administration), pasado sa standards; above-standard ang mga locally manufactured products (Right after they were certified by the Food and Drug Administration, we saw that they pass the standards, locally manufactured products are above-standard)."
"With the Bayanihan 2, may mga provisions po that will encourage domestic preference nitong mga produkto nato para we won't import anymore at local sourcing napo ang gagamitin (There are provisions that will encourage the domestic preference of these products so that we won't import anymore and instead depend on local sourcing)," Lopez said.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate ratified last month the proposed "Bayanihan to Recover as One." Also known as Bayanihan 2, the measure is essentially a P165-billion stimulus package aimed at helping local industries get back on their feet after being ravaged by the COVID-induced economic downturn.
Some P3 billion has been allocated for the purchase of PPEs under Bayanihan 2, which President Duterte has yet to sign.
Meanwhile, opposition solon, Gabriela Party-List Rep. Arlene Brosas isn't fully convinced that DTI has the local manufacturers' backs as far as COVID-19 commodities are concerned.
"Under the soon-to-be-signed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, mayroong fiscal and non-fiscal incentives pa rin ang importation ng PPEs. So apparently mayroon pa ring pag-rely sa importation ng PPEs (The importation of PPEs still bear fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. So apparently, there is still a reliance on PPEs)," she said during the mixed live and virtual hearing.
Brosas said the DTI can play a crucial role amid the severe economic crisis and the pandemic "if only it has the right prioritization and necessary resources lodged in the right programs."
"Kailangan pong i-reset ng ahensiya ang prayoridad nito at bigyang diin ang pag-rebound ng mga local manufacturers sa halip na suportahan pa rin ang importasyon ng COVID-19 commodities (The agency needs to reset its priorities and give emphasis to the rebound of local manufacturers instead of continuously backing the importation of COVID-19 commodities)," she concluded.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez. (ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO FILE PHOTO)
This, as Lopez touted the local industry's now-impressive production capacity just a few months after the sector began.
"Ang ginawa po ng DTI ay tayo po ay nagsimula ng industriya na dati ay hindi existing (sa bansa). Eto po ay yung mga gumagawa ng mga masks, PPEs, overalls (What DTI did was start an industry that previously didn't exist in the country. These are the producers of masks, PPEs, and overalls)," Lopez said during the House Appropriations Committee's scrutiny of the agency's budget under the P4.506-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2021.
"We're happy and proud to say na from zero capacity, yung atin pong mask production, 56 million a month na po. Yung ating overalls, from zero capacity before pandemic, ngayon po three million pieces a month. So marami na po tayong nagagawa locally (From zero capacity, our mask production is now 56 million a month. As for overalls, from zero capacity before pandemic, it is now at three million pieces a month. So we are now producing a lot locally)," he said.
The DTI boss further noted that Philippine-made PPEs are of "above-standard" quality.
"I must say, immediately right after ma-certify po sila (ng Food and Drug Administration), pasado sa standards; above-standard ang mga locally manufactured products (Right after they were certified by the Food and Drug Administration, we saw that they pass the standards, locally manufactured products are above-standard)."
"With the Bayanihan 2, may mga provisions po that will encourage domestic preference nitong mga produkto nato para we won't import anymore at local sourcing napo ang gagamitin (There are provisions that will encourage the domestic preference of these products so that we won't import anymore and instead depend on local sourcing)," Lopez said.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate ratified last month the proposed "Bayanihan to Recover as One." Also known as Bayanihan 2, the measure is essentially a P165-billion stimulus package aimed at helping local industries get back on their feet after being ravaged by the COVID-induced economic downturn.
Some P3 billion has been allocated for the purchase of PPEs under Bayanihan 2, which President Duterte has yet to sign.
Meanwhile, opposition solon, Gabriela Party-List Rep. Arlene Brosas isn't fully convinced that DTI has the local manufacturers' backs as far as COVID-19 commodities are concerned.
"Under the soon-to-be-signed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, mayroong fiscal and non-fiscal incentives pa rin ang importation ng PPEs. So apparently mayroon pa ring pag-rely sa importation ng PPEs (The importation of PPEs still bear fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. So apparently, there is still a reliance on PPEs)," she said during the mixed live and virtual hearing.
Brosas said the DTI can play a crucial role amid the severe economic crisis and the pandemic "if only it has the right prioritization and necessary resources lodged in the right programs."
"Kailangan pong i-reset ng ahensiya ang prayoridad nito at bigyang diin ang pag-rebound ng mga local manufacturers sa halip na suportahan pa rin ang importasyon ng COVID-19 commodities (The agency needs to reset its priorities and give emphasis to the rebound of local manufacturers instead of continuously backing the importation of COVID-19 commodities)," she concluded.