Arroyo to lobby for US approval of garment bill

The government will ramp up lobbying for a US measure that favors Philippine-made garment exports, with no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo scheduled to visit lawmakers in Washington next week. The President will be making this side trip when she attends the Global Nuclear Security Summit in the US capital on April 12-13, Trade Secretary Jesli A. Lapus told reporters late on Monday. This reaching out is expected to gather more support for the bill that is now pending in the US Congress, an industry group official said. "This is major. We have to show our interest in it," Lapus said, referring to the measure that will grant duty-free entry to Philippine garments that use American textiles. Mrs. Arroyo will meet with the "prime movers of the bill to thank them," Lapus said. The Save our Industries Act of 2010 was introduced at the US House of Representatives in June 2009 by Rep. James McDermott and a counterpart Senate bill was filed by Senators Christopher S. Bond and Daniel K. Inouye last month. The Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines estimates additional annual export sales of $1.1 billion. "The President’s visit would definitely be a big boost to the bills currently [pending] in Capitol Hill," confederation Executive Director Teresita Jocson-Agoncillo said on Tuesday. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa, BusinessWorld