MikeLigalig.com

REP. RON P. SALO
KABAYAN Party-list
Assistant Majority Leader
Member, Good Government and Public Accountability and 11 other Committees
REP. RON SALO: PRIVATIZE DUTY FREE PHILIPPINES

The reconfiguration of Duty-Free Philippines has become a necessity because its relevance as a foreign exchange and revenue earning government corporation and its relative importance as an instrument for augmenting the service facilities for tourists have greatly diminished.

I prefer that it be privatized. It is time for government to get out of this business of running duty-free shops. Perhaps the business sector can make the duty-free shops relevant again or focus it on specific niche markets.

“Dati, ang imported chocolates tulad ng Toblerone, Hershey’s, Cadbury, at Reese’s ay sa Duty Free lang mabibili. Ngayon, mayroon na niyan sa mga supermarkets at 24-hour convenience stores.”

“Dati ang mga mamahaling brands ng sapatos, damit, make-up, at pabango ay sa Duty-Free lang mabibili ng mga Pilipino, pero ngayon kaliwa’t kanan nang available ang mga iyan sa department stores at shopping malls.”

The Philippines’ monetary and fiscal health is strong and getting even stronger under competent management of President Duterte’s economic team. Our country is no longer “the sick man of Asia” and has even become a creditor nation instead of a debtor nation under the intensive care of the IMF.

Merchandise which decades ago could only be bought at Duty Free Shops, at Subic, and from the black market are now available to Filipino consumers at the department stores, shopping malls, and online shopping portals.

Also, a recent complication is the surfacing of allegations or suspicions of anomalies at the DFPC involving procurement, public bidding, and contracts entered into—which prompted 22 lawmakers including myself to file House Resolution 1742 urging the House Committee on Good Government & Public Accountability to look into the matter in aid of legislation. (END)

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