President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wants to purchase locally manufactured building materials for future government infrastructure projects, Malacañang said on Sunday.
Marcos noted the recommendation of the infrastructure cluster of the Private Sector Advisory Council, led by businessman Sabin Aboitiz, which asked the government to prioritize using locally manufactured materials.
He underscored the need to specify which materials will be procured by the government to avoid any conflict in the future, citing the need to "match the capacity with the demand."
The President said tapping local producers for big-ticket infrastructure projects would result in the establishment of manufacturing plants.
"But we need to make everything clear if that would be an AO (Administrative Order) or some other form," President Marcos said, referring to efforts to use local products.
Marcos has ordered the Department of Trade and Industry to closely coordinate with the PSAC to develop a list of specific construction materials that can be used for government infrastructure projects.
The President also ordered the Department of Budget and Management, through the Government Procurement Policy Board, to complement the policy of giving preference to local materials through relevant guidelines, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.
Members of the PSAC emphasized that the Philippines has a lot of talents and products that are world-class quality, "if not at par, even better" than those from neighboring countries.
In particular, the PSAC assured President Marcos that local manufacturing industries are producing cement, steel, and other construction materials that conform with the Philippine national standard designed to withstand the country's climate and other natural disasters.
"Our advocacy is really to promote our buying local, Filipino-made products for Filipinos. It's just fair for our government to take the lead in also patronizing locally-made products," Aboitiz said.
DTI Secretary Fred Pascual has informed the PSAC that the government has been supporting the "buy local, go local policy," which aims to promote local products in the country.
Also in attendance during the meeting were PSAC members Joanne de Asis, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Eric Ramon O. Recto, Enrique K. Razon, Ramoncito S. Fernandez, PSAC Infrastructure-Water SME, Daniel C. Aboitiz, PSAC Infrastructure-Energy SME and Reinier H. Dizon, president, Cement Manufacturers.
