Textile, apparels act to expire if unpassed by US Congress

CHICAGO – A bill to revive the moribund textile and apparel trade between the US and the Philippines will expire this year if it is not passed in the US Congress. Senior Undersecretary Thomas G. Aquino of the Philippine Department of Trade & Industry is appealing to the media and the Filipino American leaders to help promote the "Save Our Industries Act of 2009" (SAVE Act), “the way you promoted and networked with the Filipino Veterans Equity Act that was passed in the US Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama last year." “Apparel and textiles are our second largest export to the US and we appeal to you to encourage every Filipino American to reach out to their corresponding senators and congressmen in your area to support SAVE Act by writing, emailing, faxing them a letter or calling them or paying them a visit," Aquino said. Shelf-life While the measure was introduced last year, the SAVE Act has a shelf-life of that will end on Dec. 31, 2010 if it is not passed. “It is important that you connect to your congressmen and senators as soon as possible. Various Philippine trade representatives in various Philippine consulates across the US should be able to help out if you have questions on the bill," Aquino said. The legislators that Filipino Americans should reach out to are Representatives Dave Camp, Sander Levin, Paul Ryan, and Ron Kind; Senators Richard Durbin, Richard Lugar, and Christopher Bond, all members of the Ways & Means Committee; Senators Charles E. Grassley and John Cornyn; co-sponsors Representatives Judy Biggert and Erik Paulsen; Representatives Peter Roskam, Charles Boustany, Earl Pomeroy and Sam Johnson, also all of the Ways & Means Committee. Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond of Missouri introduced the bill as S. 3170. It envisions recovering $1.32 billion of trade between the US and the Philippines in the second year of its implementation and up to $3 billion in the fifth year, generating "50,000 jobs in year two and 200,000 in year five." The measure was co-sponsored by Democratic Hawaii Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka. It was also introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott, a senior member of the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee, under House Resolution 3039, gaining co-sponsorships from 11 congressmen led by Congressman Brian Bilbray and Filipino-American Congressman Steve Austria. The apparel and textile industries, and the trade between the US and the Philippines, have suffered from the massive entry of subsidized and inexpensive textile and apparel products from China after the US import quota regime on these products were lifted. In the process job were lost. Representing the first significant Philippine-US bilateral trade enhancement and cooperation initiative in recent memory, the SAVE Act would make Philippine apparel products more competitive in the US market, and promote the sale of US yarns and fabrics in the Philippines, according to its promoters. “It is a win-win legislation worthy of support of the Filipino American community that wants to come to the aid of both its native and adopted countries," according to a statement issued by Glenn G. Penaranda, Special Trade Representative of the Philippine Trade & Investment Center Duty-free The bill will treat apparel products made in the Philippines using US-made fabrics as duty free shipments, and those made in the Philippines using yarns from the US will be levied with reduced tariffs. Also, the bill will allow Philippine exports of cut- and-sew apparel products entry to the US duty-free, as long as there are no similar products made in the US US textile exports to the Philippines have been estimated at $13.5 million to $20 million in 2008, based on records of both governments. These are mostly fabrics for industrial use. The numbers are expected to increase to $250 million in the second year of after SAVE Act is passed to $500-million in its fifth year. Bipartisan co-sponsors of the SAVE Act include Representatives Bob Filner, co-chair of the Philippine Friendship Caucus, Carolyn Maloney, David Dreier, Judy Biggert, Mazie Hirono, Erik Paulsen, Madeleine Bordallo, Charles Boustany Jr. and Joseph R. Pitts.—VS, GMANews.TV