DOST urges full PTF law compliance

The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI) is pressing government agencies to fully comply with a law requiring the use of locally made tropical fabrics for official uniforms, a move that could unlock an estimated P17.8 billion in annual spending and provide a steady source of demand for the domestic textile industry.

- Ehda M Dagooc

The agency is intensifying the implementation of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) Law, or Republic Act No. 9242, amid persistent gaps in awareness and procurement among some national government agencies and local government units.

The law mandates the use of Philippine-made natural fiber textiles—including fabrics derived from abaca, pineapple, banana, bamboo, cotton and silk—for government uniforms and official attire.

Government data show the annual Uniform or Clothing Allowance (UCA) for public sector employees totals about P17.8 billion.

DOST-PTRI estimates roughly half of that amount is spent on textile procurement, equivalent to demand for around 30 million meters of fabric annually at an average price of P300 per meter.