Due to the military unrest in Myanmar, global brands are shifting their ready-to-wear orders to other Southeast Asian countries and regions, including the Philippines. Data from the International Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) shows that buyers, especially from the United States, have signed orders worth about US$500 million with Philippine garment exporters.
Robert M Young, president and trustee of the Philippine Exporters Federation, said in a recent online forum that the country has received orders from American fashion brands to purchase basic baby play clothes. , women’s clothing, underwear, men’s sportswear.
Philippine media reports quoted Young as saying that these orders will be converted into additional foreign exchange earnings, employment opportunities, and livelihoods, and these earnings will flow to related industries.
According to an October 2020 report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Philippine garment industry has been hit hard by the epidemic, with exports falling by nearly 40%.
