Let’s use our own native fabrics for our uniforms

WHY DID Mahatma Gandhi spin his own cotton fabrics? The answer to that might appear to be shallow, but there are actually very deep reasons behind his actions.

Firstly, Gandhi was advocating self-reliance. During that time, the British colonists had disrupted India’s textile industry, making them reliant on imported fabrics. He also wanted to reduce all dependence on imported goods, not just textiles.

Secondly, he was advocating economic empowerment. He believed that spinning cotton could provide incomes for the poor, especially women in the rural areas.

Thirdly, he was advocating a form of non- violent protests. He believed that making and wearing l ocal fabrics was a symbol of peaceful resistance against British colonialism, it was also a way to reject British goods and show pride in Indian culture and tradition.

Here in the Philippines, we have an edge over Gandhi because we already have Republic Act 9242, a law that mandates the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for the manufacturing of uniforms for all employees of government agencies, presumably including military and police personnel as well.

The bad news i s, we seem to be too far away from its full implementation.

The good news is, the Civil Service Commission ( CSC) has already stepped into the picture, and has used its authority to ensure compliance.

But how do we know the progress of its enforcement? Perhaps the CSC should have a computerized system that will report the status of compliance by all agencies?

CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT FOR GOV’T

Whether t hey have done it purposely or accidentally, the Department of Health (DOH) might have paved the way for a new trend in the management of customer relations in the government.

In I CT( information communication technology) lingo, the proper term for this is Customer Relations Management, or CRM for short.

Just as a backgrounder, CRM is a billion-dollar industry in the private sector, with big high-tech companies like SalesForce and Accenture raking in the big bucks by selling either hardware, software, services or any combinations of the three.

Sad to say, CRM is still not widely used in the government. Probably, this is due to a lack of awareness, or a lack of interest.

In all probability, DOH has not yet deployed a CRM system, but they have done something that no amount of technology could do, and that is to reach out to the general public to bring their services to the poor, even if they are not requesting for it.

To me, this is like the grace of God that is being given to us, even if we do not ask for it, and even if we do not deserve it.

I am referring to a recent incident wherein some DOH staff went out of their way to locate a child who had accidentally swallowed a firecracker. These DOH staff not only located the child, they also brought him to a hospital and treated him there, at no expense to his family. That may have been an ordinary feat that could have escaped my attention, but to me, it really stands out as a shining example in a sea of indifference and apathy./

We already have Republic Act 9242, a law that mandates the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for the manufacturing of uniforms for all employees of government agencies, presumably including military and police personnel as well.