Pacquiao to help government on 'Save the Industry Act'

MANILA, Philippines - World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will appear on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter appealing to members of the US Congress to pass the Save the Industries Act bill to help save the ailing Philippine garments industry.

“I was just in GenSan (General Santos) last week. We recorded a video. We are just editing it and it will be ready for airing next week,” Board of Investments (BOI) executive director Lucita P. Reyes said in an interview.

The Philippine government has been asking the US to pass thebill because it will revive the dying garments industry by allowing tariff free export of garments to the US.

Reyes said they will be using the Internet to disseminate the video. She said Pacquiao agreed to appear on the video for free. “We are getting Manny Pacquiao to endorse this. We need somebody who can champion it. We have asked his help to have this bill pass into law,” BOI managing head Cristino L. Panlilio said in an interview.

In an earlier interview, Panlilio said that Pacquiao would be a big help because he can raise awareness for the bill. If the Save Act is not passed during the session it will be re-filed next year.

Aside from the Pacquiao endorsement, Panlilio said they will be using the social media. “We will use Facebook and Twitter. Filipino Americans can help convince their congressmen and senators to pass the bill.”

SOURCE:
By  Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated December 09, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (2)
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