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Monday, February 07, 2005
Galing UK or Made in China!
By Edgar Dignadice Cadiente
LiVe Pen (Lithe & Velvet Pen)
GALING UK. Who wouldn't recognize this TV Ad catchphrase? The commercial suggests that an ukay-ukay buy becomes fashionably elegant after being washed with the detergent powder. Whether the laundry powder is effective or not, I'm not wont to tell. As long as it's cleaned properly regardless of the detergent brand, an ukay-ukay can be as good as (brand) new!
Really. This is what makes ukay-ukay shopping interesting: finding treasure pieces i.e., designer labels, from the heap of practically ugly ones.
Seek and ye shall find. With apologies to St. Matthew, I am not contextualizing the line as a biblical teaching. I just find the aphorism appropriate in my piece. Kailangan kasi,talagang may baon kang tiyaga before you embark on your ukay-ukay spree. You surely will find good and quality wears minus the astronomical tag price! As a friend often says, "Decent dressing need not be expensive." That's UK for you.
Though I'm almost certain, some of these may come from England talaga, UK does not stand for United Kingdom. It is a recent addition to the already varied lexis for ukay-ukay garments. Wherever the garments come form, the ukay-ukay or second hand RTW industry has become so Filipino. The enterprise started in the 60s originally in Cebu and Baguio (now the undisputed ukay-ukay capital of the Philippines). Back then, OFWs and sellers with overseas contacts would collect whatever second hand items from abroad, send it to the Philippines in balikbayan boxes, and sell them in flea markets.
Illegal Bundles? Since these items are not taxed with heavy tariffs usually imposed on cargos declared as commercial goods, they are sold at extremely low prices, making the industry a hit. The lucrative trade has caught eventual attention. Recently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development raised inquiry purporting that there are crates of second hand items entering the country as smuggled goods.
Under RA 4653, importation of second hand clothing for commercial purposes is prohibited. The law specifies that these items can only enter the country if to be used for public exposition, say, film producers bringing them in for film production purposes. Some are donations from charitable institutions abroad for third world countries. No wonder why DSWD is upset, as items of this kind are supposedly relief goods, which find their way cunningly to flea markets.
Expectedly, ukay-ukay sellers are not so happy. This is also a not-so-good-news for UK regulars. Nevertheless, it's up to the Bureau of Customs and other regulatory bodies to unearth the matter. But until the issue is resolved, ukay-ukay patrons will continue to unearth gold mine from the mound of scrap. Or better yet, until something equally affordable can rival it.
From China's Closet. And there is actually an emerging garment craze. The newest rival to ukay-ukay is China's garments imports. Well, "Made in China" equipment, devices, electronics, wares and what-have-yous abound. It's garment industry explosion reaching Philippine shores is hence predictable. Of course the international free trade policy has a lot to do with it. And with how China has been awakening in the last decade as an economy to dominate the world, their clothing industry's entry here is inevitable.
Before you know it, Filipino traders come rushing, joining the bandwagon. There are already stores selling China garments here. I still have to go to one of these stores one day. I know these garments will be equally affordable, but one pleasure will be lacking: the satisfaction element of finding treasure from the trash, like in the ukay-ukay experience.
Elite creations to mass fashion. I find it ironic. Last week's piece was about high fashion ("Patahian: Sewing Gensan's Tapestry) and this week is affordable clothing. Peculiar, but I have quite figured some relevance. Try this: The essence of free enterprise is competition. In the city, there's not so many fashion houses or dress shops. In the event that RTW industry booms here, meaning it becomes a significantly huge enterprise, buyers will get to choose from among many suppliers of clothing. Thereby, the competition is sure to scale down prices. This eventually eases out or phases out imported items, Made in China man or Galing UK. If it does, I would surely miss the satisfaction of finding treasure pieces.
Anyhow, that would help DSWD and the Customs bureau in their campaign against smuggling, while at the same time boost up local economy. But that's me and my vision. For now, the UK ad still runs on TV. If DSWD is right, I see smuggling being glorified. One day, I hope to see a TV commercial on Filipino clothing with a tagline, "Gawang Pilipino yata 'yan!"
Comments and reactions are welcome. Send e-mail to my_eyeview@yahoo.com - the author
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