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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Zubiri: Senate can garner 16 votes for RCEP ratification

Zubiri: Senate can garner 16 votes for RCEP ratification

Published Feb 7, 2023 05:37 pm

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri believes there would be 16 votes or two thirds of the 24-member Senate to ratify the controversial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.

Zubiri made this assessment after a sub-committee of the Senate foreign relations committee held a hearing on the pros and cons of the international agreement.

He said a technical working group (TWG) would fine-tune the RCEP this weekend until next week and that the sponsorship phase would be by next Wednesday next week, and voting would be done ‘’next week after.’’

‘’I believe we’d be able to get the 16 votes,’’ he added.

Zubiri said the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) testified that basic agricultural products are not included in the RCEP.

On the issue of lack of government support, Zubiri said : ‘’When we ratify treaties, we always put whereas clauses- instructions and guidelines. Guidelines instructing DA to vigorously support agriculture sector. BOC (Bureau of Customs) to be more...to pay attention and fill force of the law. Smuggling and hoarding of these products.’’

To appease the concerns of farmers, the Senate chief said the they would create a special committee to oversee the instructions and guidelines in the ratification of RCEP.

This committee could be called from time to time, he added.

When asked that the position of farmers’ organizations are anti-trade, anti-World Trade Organization (WTO), and anti-free trade, Zubiri said ‘’we cannot be an island in this whole region.’’

Out of 15 countries that signed for the inclusion of RCEP, tayo na lang naiiwan na di nakasama (We are the ones left out). There must be something right,’’ he pointed out.

He stressed that the RCEP Agreement is a priority measure of the Marcos administration.

‘’The problems of agriculture sector are a multitude of problems. Expensive fertilizer. Kasalanan ba ng rcep yan ? (Is that the fault of RCEP?). RCEP is supposed to bring in goods tariff-free. Paghuli ng smuggling kasalanan ba ng rcep yan? (Is smuggling the fault of RCEP?),’’ he said.

‘’Kasalanan ng agency yan (That’s the fault of the agency) which is headed by her brother. They should have a long talk together,’’ he explained after Senator Imee Marcos, elder sister of President Marcos, earlier refused to conduct a hearing on the merits and demerits of RCEP.

She maintained that RCEP is against the agriculture sector,.

Based on Senator Marcos’ suggestion, the Senate leadership created a sub-committee of her mother Senate foreign relations committee.

Today’s hearing by the sub-committee was conducted by Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda.

Related Tags

Senate RCEP ratification migz zubiri agriculture and trade
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