Lawmakers question gov’t preference for imported PPE

The Makabayan bloc wants the House to probe the government’s alleged preference for imported over locally made personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under House Resolution No. 1735, six lawmakers from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers and Kabataan, said the government preferred to procure imported PPE, mostly from China. They said that this preference “practically elbowed out local manufacturers that the government had asked to repurpose their factories for the anticipated increased demand for PPE during the pandemic.” Five local companies then formed the Coalition of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE in July 2020 and invested about P1.7 billion to make medical-grade PPE.

—Nestor Corrales