BIZ BUZZ: Sewing new opportunities in garment making

If you thought the Philippine garment industry was a thing of the past, think again as it could soon be threading its way back, thanks to an upcoming high-profile meeting between Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque and a major Hong Kong-based garment manufacturer.

The meeting, which is set to happen before the end of the month, has already got the industry buzzing.

Roque is set to meet with representatives from the company, which she has yet to name, to discuss its potential entry in the Philippines.

The stakes couldn’t be higher as global trade tensions heat up, driven in large part by the ripple effects of US President Donald Trump’s controversial tariffs announced earlier this month.

Sources familiar with the meeting say the discussions will focus on everything from labor supply to tax incentives.

And it’s clear that the Philippines is positioning itself as a new hot spot for garment production, touting the lower tariffs it faces compared to other Asian economies as an advantage.

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Industry experts are watching closely, with some believing this could be the beginning of a new wave of manufacturers seeking refuge from tariffs and escalating trade wars in the region.

And if the Philippines can deliver, it could stitch itself back into the global manufacturing fabric.