Press Release
August 9, 2008

ROXAS: REFORMS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS NOW
CREATE TRADE REP OFFICE TO AVOID PROBLEMS RE JPEPA

Senator Mar Roxas, Liberal Party President, stressed the need to reform the way the government negotiates international trade agreements to avoid the problems experienced in relation to JPEPA, as he pushed for the creation of the Philippine Trade Representative Office.

"Let's be frank about it. I'm not too happy with the results of JPEPA. I feel we could have gotten more, we could have negotiated better. But I wasn't part of the negotiations, and we will never know," he said.

"We got a marginally advantageous treaty, but its non-passage means risk to our industries and our workers. Gusto man natin ng perpektong kasunduan, talagang mapag-iiwanan tayo kung hindi natin i-ratify ang nasa harapan na natin. These dilemmas shouldn't have existed in the first place," he stressed.

Roxas, co-chair of the joint committee on JPEPA, has filed Senate Bill No. 252 to create the Philippine Trade Representative Office.

"Our future trade deals must also be considered in light of the recent collapse of the Doha Round in the WTO talks. We will see an increased emphasis on regional and bilateral trade pacts. We should beef up our negotiating prowess and our people should be consulted more closely about these," he said.

"JPEPA was a lesson for all of us, and we know that the structure of our Trade agencies at present make them ill-equipped to handle these negotiations on top of their present mandates," he added.

"The problems we need to fix are from as simple as getting the facts accurate--unlike what happened during the Senate hearings--to as fundamental as ensuring that all trade agreements are in favor of our people," he stressed.

The proposed PTRO will be headed by a Philippine Trade Representative holding a fixed six-year term. The official's task would be to coordinate and hold consultations with all stakeholders to determine the country's international trade policy, and to represent the country in all trade agreements.

An Interagency Committee will also be created to assist the PTRO. The committee will be headed by the Philippine Trade Representative and composed of officers of the DTI, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Agriculture and other agencies.

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