Cayetano: Keep a 'Philippine Eagle eye' on sectors to be affected by RCEP deal

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday asked the sponsors of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement to "keep a Philippine Eagle eye" on sectors that may be left behind if the Senate ratifies the free-trade agreement that aims to make it easier for products and services of each of the 15 member-countries to be available across the Asia-Pacific region.

"There are going to be winners and losers in RCEP. Rather than pukpukin natin isa't isa, let us ask if we have a commitment from the executive department that they will look at these sectors," the independent senator told the measure's sponsors Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda in an interpellation at the plenary session on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.

"We're not powerless to address that. What interventions are they going to guarantee to the Senate today?" he added.

The RCEP Agreement is a free-trade agreement between the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam -- and its five Free Trade Agreement partners, namely Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.

According to the measure, RCEP shall "authorize the loosening of trade restrictions and mandate countries to lower or remove their taxes on traded goods, services, investments, and e-commerce."

Currently, the only countries that are yet to ratify the RCEP are the Philippines and Myanmar.

Last week on the plenary floor, Cayetano already reminded the Executive Department to include safety nets and capacity-building measures, with this being a condition to his support for the country's participation in the RCEP.

Cayetano reiterated this in his interpellation on Tuesday during the Senate session, urging it to keep in mind that the agriculture and labor sectors are the possible losing sectors that could be heavily affected by integrated markets.

Cayetano also urged the measure's sponsors to include in a plan to provide a budget that would capacitate and train Filipinos so they could receive higher salaries and make them more competent in the region under the RCEP deal.

"Ang sabi more jobs will come with RCEP... But it has been shown na kapag ang gobyerno ay hindi lang gumastos (kundi) tama ang gastos, mas magkakatrabaho," he said.

"For example, sa OFWs, kung hindi nakapag-aral ang ating mga kababayan, dadami ang OFWs, pero y'ung mababa na pay ang makukuha at y'ung delikado na position sa kanila tulad ng pagiging kasambahay. Pero y'ung mga kasambahay na iyan, kung mapapaaral natin, kaya nilang maging chef, barista, salesman, et cetera," he added.

Wrapping up his interpellation, Cayetano asked the RCEP panel to submit a report in three months or within 100 days so that the senators can help hammer out the proposed budget and interventions by the Executive Department.

"Is that acceptable to both the sponsors and the Executive Department which is to have a Philippine Eagle eye on those sectors who may be left behind?" the senator said.

"I want that kind of assurance from the executive department. Because I do really believe that RCEP would really be such a good vehicle for us, di ba? But let's also have the commitment that, kung may maiwan. We cannot afford for some sectors to become losers because it could kill them," he added.

In response to Cayetano's concerns, the members of the Executive Department who were present in the session committed to providing a report within three months upon the adoption of the RCEP resolution.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri also thanked Cayetano for raising the concerns regarding RCEP and for looking out for people who may be left behind.

"I want to thank Senator Alan Cayetano because his heart is always for the masses. Every time we talk about these issues, he fights for the little guys. He always remembers what is the best for the most number of people. He just reminded us again today that this RCEP is a bigger agreement, a bigger area, and a bigger opportunity to help," Zubiri said.

Cayetano: Bantayang mabuti ang mga sektor na maaapektuhan ng RCEP deal

Hiniling ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano sa mga sponsor ng Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement na bantayan nang mabuti ang mga sektor na maaaring maiwan kapag niratipikahan ng Senado ang free-trade agreement sa Asia-Pacific region.

"There are going to be winners and losers in RCEP. Rather than pukpukin natin isa't isa, let us ask if we have a commitment from the executive department that they will look at these sectors," sinabi ng independent senator sa sponsors ng panukala na sina Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri at Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda sa kanyang interpellation sa plenary session ngayong Martes, February 21, 2023.

"We're not powerless to address that. What interventions are they going to guarantee to the Senate today?" dagdag niya.

Ang RCEP agreement ay isang free-trade agreement sa pagitan ng 10 miyembro ng Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pilipinas, Singapore, Thailand at Vietnam - at ang limang Free Trade Partners na Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, at Republic of Korea.

Ayon sa panukala, ang RCEP ay magpapaluwag ng trade restrictions at magpapababa o magpapatanggal ng buwis sa mga traded goods, services, investments, at e-commerce.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinas at Myanmar na lamang ang hindi pa pumipirma sa RCEP.

Noong nakaraang linggo, nagpaalala na si Cayetano sa Executive Department na idagdag ang mga safety net at capacity-building measures bilang kanyang kondisyon upang suportahan ang partisipasyon ng bansa sa RCEP.

Inulit ito ni Cayetano sa kanyang interpellation ngayong Martes at nagpaalala na maaaring ang mga sektor ng agrikultura at paggawa ay maiwanan at maapektuhan ng RCEP.

Hinimok din ni Cayetano ang mga sponsor ng panukala at ehekutibo na isama sa plano ang budget upang mapaigting ang mga kapabilidad ng mga Pilipino para makakuha sila ng mas mataas na sahod at upang mas competitive sila sa ilalim ng RCEP deal.

"Ang sabi more jobs will come with RCEP... But it has been shown na kapag ang gobyerno ay hindi lang gumastos (kundi) tama ang gastos, mas magkakatrabaho," aniya.

"For example, sa OFWs, kung hindi nakapag-aral ang ating mga kababayan, dadami ang OFWs, pero y'ung mababa na pay ang makukuha at y'ung delikado na position sa kanila tulad ng pagiging kasambahay. Pero y'ung mga kasambahay na iyan, kung mapapaaral natin, kaya nilang maging chef, barista, salesman, et cetera," dagdag pa niya.

Humingi rin si Cayetano ng report mula sa RCEP panel na ipapasa sa loob ng tatlong buwan o sa isangdaang araw upang matulungan ang mga senador na planuhin ang panukalang budget ng Executive Department.

"Is that acceptable to both the sponsors and the Executive Department which is to have a Philippine Eagle eye on those sectors who may be left behind?" tanong ng senador.

"I want that kind of assurance from the Executive Department. Because I do really believe that RCEP would really be such a good vehicle for us. But let's also have the commitment that, kung may maiwan. We cannot afford for some sectors to become losers because it could kill them," dagdag niya.

Bilang tugon kay Cayetano, nangako ang mga miyembro ng Executive Department na magsusumite sila ng report sa loob ng tatlong buwan pagkatapos aprubahan ang RCEP resolution.

Pinasalamatan naman ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri si Cayetano sa pagtalakay ng mga isyu at sa pagsiguradong walang maiiwan na mga Pilipino.

"I want to thank Senator Alan Cayetano because his heart is always for the masses. Every time we talk about these issues, he fights for the little guys. He always remembers what is the best for the most number of people. He just reminded us again today that this RCEP is a bigger agreement, a bigger area, and a bigger opportunity to help," wika ni Zubiri.