Garments bill gets US Senate backing

A US Congress bill that would benefit the Philippine garments industry gained supporters in the US Senate, raising chances a counterpart measure would be filed before the Upper Chamber soon, a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) official said. Trade Assistant Secretary Fe Agoncillo Reyes told reporters that the Save Our Industries Act has gained three sponsors in the US Senate, but she refused to identify the senators.

Agoncillo Reyes said the Senate version of the bill would be filed by the end of this month or next month.
The House version was filed in June last year by Representative Jim McDermott.

“We feel positive that we’re getting the support that we need,” Agoncillo Reyes said.

Under the Save Our Industries Act or the 809 Apparel/Pilot Program, certain Philippine-made clothing that used US-made fabric would enter America duty-free, while those made of US yarns would enter at reduced tariffs. A side component provides duty-free entry to the US of certain Philippine-made apparel regardless of the fabric’s source.

If this bill becomes law, the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines had estimated that garments exports to the US could reach $1.1 billion on the first year of implementation.

The group said an additional $480-million worth of investments could be infused during the first two years by about 60 new firms expected to set up shop in the country.

It said that this would translate into 210,000 jobs generated over four years.

Moves to fast track the passage of the 809 Apparel/Pilot Program bill last year took a backseat to the US Congress’ focus on priority measures pushed by the Obama administration, such as the US National Health Care Act. –BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA, Manila Times