CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Pampanga Acting Governor Dennis “Delta”Pineda has asked Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to exempt a bag-manufacturing company from an import ban on cow’s leather to be able to prevent 16,000 workers from losing their jobs.
Pineda coursed his appeal through House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He specifically asked Piñol to exempt Superl Philippines Inc. (SPI) from Memorandum Order No. 23.
The order, issued last August, places a temporary band on the importation of domestic and wild pigs as well as products like port meat and semen coming from Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russiam Ukraine and China to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever. (ASF) in the Philippines.
But the forwading company of Superl has informed Director General Charito Plaza of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) that an “abrupt ban” was imposed on 100 % treated cow leather “without prior notice” beginning Jan. 24.
It appealed the case because the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance as well as orders have been placed a year in advance.
“Ang order po ni Secretary Pinol ay baboy lamang. Kung pati treated cow leather ay kasama, titigil po ang operasyon ang Superl at mawawalan ng trabaho ang mga manggagawang Kapampangan,” Acting Governor Pineda said.
Superl makes hand bags and wallets for international well-known brands. It has been operating its factory on an 8.5-hectare lot at the Angeles Industrial Park in Bacolor, Pampanga since 2012. The company spends P220 million in salaries, P20 million in workers’ insurance, and P13 million in electricity every month.
Rep. Aurelio Gonzales was asked by Superl general manager Ho Ming Fung to request “for the exclusion of SPI and its subsidiary for the rejection of SPS importation clearance for cow leathers.”
Provincial Board Member Jun Canlas said Superl showed to be in “no danger” of causing contamination since it is bringing in treated cow leather. “Health safety is out of the question.
“What is in danger of being jeopardize is the regular employment of 16,000 workers,” Canlas said.