(Eagle News) — President Bongbong Marcos has said the purchase of local products for future infrastructure projects of the government is a step in the right direction.
The President made the comment as he welcomed the proposal of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Infrastructure Cluster to give such priority to locally manufactured building materials.
He also ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to closely coordinate with the PSAC in coming up with the list of specific construction materials that can be used for government infrastructure projects.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), through the Government Procurement Policy Board, was also ordered to complement the policy by giving preference to local materials through relevant guidelines, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.
“We have to match the capacity and the demand. But again, that if you can say that from now on, 100 percent of our – comes from the Philippines, magtatayo ng planta ‘yan but we need to make everything clear, kung AO (Administrative Order) iyan or some other form,” the President said.
The PSAC gave the President the assurance that local manufacturing industries are producing cement, steel and other construction materials that conform with Philippine national standards.
It said these were designed to withstand the country’s climate and other natural disasters.
