Filipinos, especially the government, need to promote more and procure “sariling atin” or Filipino-made products and services to be more competitive in the world market.

Senator Sonny Angara made the call on Tuesday during the Committee on Finance’s hearing on Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2218, also known as the “Tatak Pinoy” Bill which shall mandate the formulation, financing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of comprehensive and multi-year “Tatak Pinoy” Strategy (TPS).

“Sa totoo lang, huli tayo eh. Huli tayo sa ating mga karatig bansa (The truth is we are behind our neighboring countries). If you look at Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, they all really have a very defined industrial policy,” Angara said in a press briefing after the hearing emphasizing that free market will not solve the country’s problem.

“Talagang pagkatingin natin by themselves mamamayagpag itong mga industriya, mali tayo dun (We thought the industries will succeed by themselves alone, we were wrong). I think a large percentage of industries that make it, do it at the very minimum hindi nakikialam ang gobyerno at ang kadalasan, tinutulungan sila ng gobyerno (either they are not being bothered by their government or they are being supported by their government),” he added.

Angara suggested that the government support local industries by sending representatives to international expos or exhibitions to learn more and be known on the world stage.

“Para makilala naman sila dahil sayang naman yung galing nila kung tayo lang yung nakaka-appreciate sa kanila (So they will be known because their skills will be wasted if only us [fellow Filipinos] appreciate their work),” he said.

The government, Angara said, should also support local industries by procuring their produce instead those of foreign companies.

He also called for the establishment of new industries saying a lot of Filipino graduates choose to work in other countries after failing to find the industries relevant to their professions here in the Philippines.

“Yung magagaling nating animators, saan nagtatrabaho? Sa Singapore kasi wala yung mga industriya dito eh (Where do our best animators work? In Singapore because the industry is not here). That’s why it’s about time we focus more on national industries especially pag-strategic siya (if it is strategic),” Angara explained.

If passed into law, SBN 2218 shall require the government agencies to collaborate with the private sector to ensure that all the strategies and interventions introduced would be focused on the expansion and diversification of the productive capabilities of local enterprises.

The TPS will be continuously improved upon by a “Tatak Pinoy” Council that will be headed by the socioeconomic planning secretary as chairperson and the secretaries of trade and industry and finance as vice-chairpersons. (PNA)