Repeal of law prohibiting importation of 'ukay-ukay' sought

MANILA, Philippines - With the Christmas season fast approaching, Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez yesterday appealed to legislators to repeal the law prohibiting the importation of ukay-ukay (second-hand) clothes to give financially strapped people access to branded but second-hand clothing.

Alvarez said several containers of used clothing arrive in the country every year but these are not released to the market and are instead confiscated and stored in warehouses.

He believes the importation of these ukay-ukay clothes should not be banned to give the public equal opportunity to wear branded garments even if these are slightly used.

According to Alvarez, there are about eight congressmen, including Oriental Mindoro second district Rep. Rey Umali, Leyte third district Rep. Andres Salvacion, Valenzuela second district Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo and Batangas first district Rep. Tomas Apacible, who could help articulate these changes in the existing law at the House of Representatives.

“We are asking our congressmen to revisit the law on the importation of ukay-ukay which I think has already been overtaken by events because nowadays, there are a lot of good quality used clothing entering the country that have already been fumigated. There are people who are using these used clothing but they do not complain of skin diseases. It is about time that we open up (this law), but that is beyond me,” Alvarez said.

“We want the law repealed wherein the importation of these items would be allowed, there would just be certain controls on the sanitary features,” he added.

He explained that there had been arguments that those who would wear these used clothing risk suffering from health hazards, particularly skin diseases. However, these reasons are set aside whenever the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) writes to the Bureau of Customs (BOC) requesting for the release of these used clothing in times of calamity.

Just recently, the BOC again confiscated 18 container vans of used clothing and officials said they have not released the cargo in accordance with the law.