Legarda Wants Stronger Implementation of Tropical Fabrics for Gov’t Uniforms

Senator Loren Legarda has proposed amendments to the Tropical Fabrics Law of 2004, also known as R.A. 9242, to ensure realistic and stronger implementation of the law, which mandates public officials and employees to wear uniforms made from natural fibers in the country.

Legarda, author of the Tropical Fabrics Law, said that she has proposed amendments to the law to consider the capacity of the local textile industry to meet the needs of government.

“It is lamentable that eight years after the law was enacted, its full implementation still needs to be achieved. I have proposed amendments to the law to transform this policy into reality,” she said.

“In relation to this, I also enjoin my fellow senators and government officials to help achieve the goals of this law by wearing garments made from natural fibers in the country. In fact, as part of our call for the strict implementation of the law, my office has assigned Monday as Tropical Fabric Day. My staff and I wear garments made from tropical fabrics on Mondays,” Legarda said.

Under the proposed measure (Senate Bill No. 353), tropical fabric refers not only to textiles produced by spinning, weaving and knitting natural fibers originating from the Philippines, but also to textiles produced from a combination of synthetic and natural fibers, both of which should have originated in the country.

Furthermore, if local sources are incapable of supplying the natural fiber needs of the government, tropical fabrics can be purchased abroad with the following conditions: that the fibers used also originated from the Philippines, and that the Department of Trade and Industry issues a certification confirming the incapability of local sources to meet the tropical fabric demands of the government.

“Our goal is to promote the preferential use of goods produced using local resources and manufactured by domestic enterprises, adopt measures focused on making these products competitive based on global standards, and develop a self-reliant economy characterized by high employment levels. Ultimately, we want to instill patriotism and nationalism among Filipinos, with the government leaders as frontrunners in this endeavor,” Legarda concluded.