Senate panels tackle bills seeking high-quality PH goods, jobs

Angara said the bills are part of his “Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino)” advocacy and will enhance the capabilities and standards of local industries. (File Photo: Sonny Angara/Facebook)

MANILA – Joint Senate committees led by Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship with various government agencies and the private sector on Thursday looked into several measures intended to enhance the capabilities, processes and quality of goods produced by Philippine enterprises.

Discussions on Senate Bill (SBN) 90 or the Exports and Investments Development Act (EIDA); 97, 536, 538, 782, 1041 and 1441 or the Poverty Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship Act or PRESENT; 319 or the Domestic Bidders Preference Act; 628 and 793 or the National Quality Infrastructure Development Act; 761 or the Institutionalization of the Shared Service Facilities (SSF) program of the Department of Trade and Industry; 1127 or the Philippine Accreditation Act; and 1868 or the Protected Geographical Indications Act were handled by Senator Sonny Angara who chairs the subcommittee in-charge of the measures.

Angara said the bills are part of his “Tatak Pinoy (Proudly Filipino)” advocacy and will enhance the capabilities and standards of local industries.

“These bills are line with the efforts to support our local industries, level up our exports, create jobs and ultimately make our economy more vibrant and competitive with the rest of the world. This is the spirit of Tatak Pinoy,” he said in a statement.

The lawmaker explained that SBN 90 seeks to amend the EIDA in order to strengthen the country’s exports by encouraging the production of more sophisticated and diversified products while the PRESENT bill seeks to further the development of social enterprises in the country as a way to help communities and reduce poverty.

On the other hand, SBN 319 institutionalizes the Certificate of Domestic Bidders program of the DTI to help local enterprises, particularly those that produce goods substantially grown or manufactured in the Philippines by giving them preference in government procurement activities.

Through SBN 761, the DTI’s SSF program will be institutionalized and ensure its funding to establish more of facilities for the use of micro, small and medium enterprises.

Meanwhile, SBNs 628 and 793 seeks to develop a national quality policy that will help Philippine enterprises in enhancing their capabilities and producing goods that meet the standards of international markets.

The proposed Philippine Accreditation Act will also establish a national accreditation system through the creation of a Philippine Accreditation Authority in order to improve the competitiveness and export potential of locally-manufactured products.

SBN 1868 is seen to safeguard the local producers’ superior quality of manufacturing and craftsmanship and protect consumers from disingenuous and substandard products that pose to be genuine.

“We want to see them [local industries] produce more complex products that will increase the value of our exports, grow our economy exponentially and provide our workforce with greater skills and higher paying jobs,” Angara said.

“These solve a lot of problems with the view towards an industrial policy which not only produces high-quality goods but also creates quality jobs,” he added.