‘Most government workers unaware of uniform law’

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

February 1, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — About half of government employees in the Philippines are unaware that they may be technically violating the law because of the uniforms they wear.

Under the amended implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) Law, all fabrics used for government uniforms must contain at least five percent natural fibers or silk by weight.

Ensuring compliance among government workers is among the priorities of the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), which promotes PTFs made from natural fibers such as abaca, banana, pineapple and bamboo.

“Every employee who doesn’t wear a PTF uniform is technically in violation of the law. So, we’re like walking violators. And we want them to know. We can’t do anything, though, because we can’t penalize them,” PTRI executive director Julius Leaño Jr. told The STAR on the sidelines of the 2nd National Textile Convention on Wednesday in Pasay City.

Data from the Civil Service Commission show that as of June 2025, only 48 percent of government employees wear PTF-made uniforms.

PTRI, however, estimates actual compliance could be as low as two percent.

The government promotes the use of PTFs to advance environmental sustainability and support local agriculture by converting farm waste into fibers for high-quality textiles.

Recently, PTRI partnered with designer Avel Bacudio to supply sustainable fabric for Filipino athletes’ ensembles at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Bacudio chose PTFs for his “Laro ng Lahi” collection, which was showcased during the opening ceremonies, citing their feather-like structure and durability.

Leaño said PTFs cost between P280 and P350 per yard, making them affordable for uniform suppliers. Currently, only two companies produce PTFs, as they have full access to PTRI’s technologies.

To boost production, the government is funding regional yarn production and innovation centers where threads for PTF weaving are made.

PTRI, an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology, recently opened its third such facility in Vintar, Ilocos Norte.

The P53-million project included P13 million from the local government for land and building construction and P40 million from PTRI’s budget for equipment sourced from China.

Additional yarn facilities are expected to open soon in Kabacan, Cotabato; Taytay, Rizal and Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

In using PTFs, government employees convey a “certain level of integrity, respect and credibility,” Leaño said.

PTRI is now intensifying its information campaign to raise awareness among government employees about the uniform requirements mandated by law.

“If you only point that out, people will suddenly become aware of it,” said Leaño.