After local makers' lament, DOH says it looks forward to buying PPEs from them

The Department of Health (DOH) is looking forward to buying personal protective equipment (PPE) from local manufacturers, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Monday.

Vergeire was responding to the lament of the Confederation of Philippine Manufacturers of PPE (CPMP) that the government prioritized buying PPEs from abroad.

The government asked manufacturers across industries in March to repurpose their resources to make medical grade PPEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We are supportive of our local suppliers. We worked with DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) so industries can produce medical grade PPEs. With [proposed] Bayanihan 2 law, we look forward to our local suppliers entering the field and joining the procurement process as the law states the priority should be local manufacturers,” Vergeire said in an ANC interview. 

Vergeire, however, did not say as to why the DOH did not prioritize local manufacturers in procuring PPEs since COVID-19 cases started increasing in March. 

“We do not have a specific country where we get or procure PPEs from. We base all of our process on RA 9194 (Procurement Act). The procuring entity for us amid the pandemic is the DBM (Department of Budget and Management),” Vergeire added.

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Saturday urged the government to patronize and buy Filipino-made PPEs which had been tested for effectiveness and safety.

In a statement, Pangilinan slammed all those who would take advantage of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service and steal billions of pesos allotted for PPEs.

Last month, Vice President Leni Robredo also raised alarm over the government’s decision to buy P1.8 million PPEs from China when local manufacturers can do the same thing.

“Matagal ko na itong panawagan: na iyong mga hindi kailangang i-import, huwag muna nating i-import. Kasi kapag nag-i-import tayo, nalulugi iyong mga local producers. Lahat na puwedeng i-produce dito, i-produce,” Robredo said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Cebu.

“Panahon ito na iyong talagang dapat i-boost natin iyong local. Mag-i-import lang tayo ng very essential goods na talagang wala dito sa atin,” she added. —KG, GMA News