A consumer group has opposed a reported government plan to import cement from Pakistan for the Duterte administration’s infrastructure buildup projects, saying such move is detrimental to the local cement industry, to the country’s economy and to Filipino workers.
“The intention to import $14 million worth of cement from Pakistan clearly shows the government’s misplaced priority,” Lokal Muna-Consumer Protection Watch said in a news statement issued on Tuesday.
“It also shows that the government’s buy local campaign is merely a lip service and just for show to make it appear that it is doing something for local industries,” the statement added.
The group issued the reaction after the Daily Times in Pakistan reported that Philippine Ambassador Daniel Ramos Espiritu told the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) that the country is ready to import an initial $14 million worth of cement for the country’s infrastructure development program.
Espiritu said the quantity of cement would be increased gradually.
“We could not fathom why the government has to import cement despite the capacity of local cement producers to meet the demand for its infrastructure projects,” the news statement added.
The envoy’s pronouncement also goes against the government’s campaign to support local industries and patronize local products as stated in the 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Under the 2021 GAA, the government as procuring entity is mandated to ensure that, whenever practicable, articles, materials, or supplies grown, produced or manufactured in the Philippines shall be preferred and used.
Lokal Muna stressed that there’s no need to import cement as the local cement industry has indicated several times that it can fulfill the demand for the government’s various infrastructure projects.
“Instead of sending much-needed government funds to other countries, why not use it to help our own industries recover from the effect of the pandemic,” the group said.
It was Lokal Muna-Consumer Protection Watch that sounded the alarm on the mislabeling activities of some erring businessmen, passing off imported products as Philippine-made to capitalize on the government’s “buy local” program.
The group’s action forced the Department of Trade and Industry to issue a new policy on the labeling of cement products.