The Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP) expects the country’s garment exports will fall below $1.4 billion projection for the year with disruptions caused by pandemic-induced lockdowns and shipping space constraints. Robert Young, President, FOBAP said, Philippines’ garment exports are expected to be lower than $1.2 to $1.4 billion target for this year as exporters are facing order cancellations amid disruptions due to lockdowns.

All manufacturing activities by exporting locators in the Freeport Area of Bataan have been ordered to halt operations during the ECQ given the surge in coronavirus cases, said Young. While garment exporters located in Philippine Economic Zone Authority zones and factory suppliers in Clark and Laguna are operational, their productivity is affected by the lack of transport, curfew and other restrictions, he added. Garment exporters are also facing other challenges such as the lack of shipping space, Young added.