DTI working with local PPE producers

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is working with domestic manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Budget and Management - Procurement Service (DBM-PS), in preparation for the implementation of the Bayanihan 2 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One bill which includes a provision to prioritize locally made PPEs in government purchases.

“DTI is now coordinating with the CPMP (Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE) and the DOH and the DBM-PS on the implementation of Bayanihan 2 anticipating its signing by the President, as well as on aligning PPE demand requirements, timing of procurement, and flow of production,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

He said the DTI and CPMP have worked together in making the aim of providing medical grade PPE to frontliners a reality.

“For this reason, the DTI’s Board of Investments and the DBM-PS have endeavored to have provisions in the Bayanihan 2 for preference to locally-manufactured, internationally-certified PPEs. And we thank our legislators for including these during the bicameral conference,” he said.

Lopez’s statement came on the heel’s of CPMP’s announcement it is ready to pour in $36 million worth of additional investments to increase its production capacity once it secures more orders from the government.

CPMP, composed of Medtecs International Corp. Ltd., EMS Components Assembly Inc., Reliance Producers Cooperative, Luen Thai International Group Philippines Inc. and Tacca Industries Pty Ltd. from Australia, was formed in response to Lopez’s call to manufacturers to repurpose their facilities for the production of PPEs to ensure there is local supply of the products critical in the fight against   COVID-19.

The group has already invested $35 million to repurpose a portion of their facilities and is currently capable of producing 57.6 million medical grade face masks and three million coveralls per month.

In addition to the capacity to produce PPEs, the investment has allowed the group to save 7,450 jobs.

The additional investment would double CPMP’s output and create 4,000 jobs.

While the group could easily expand its production capacity, CPMP president Lawrence delos Santos said there are challenges on the demand side as the government, the biggest customer for PPEs, is still sourcing most of its requirements overseas.

He said the group would ask the government’s procurement plan for PPEs to consider local capacities to help build the domestic industry.