NATIONAL NEWS

INCOMING President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. wants an assessment of the country’s competitiveness first before pursuing the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement.

“Sa akingpananaw, let’s have another look at it… Anyway, sa RCEP, tingnannatinulit what will be the effect, pag-aralannatin ng mabuti – if we ratify it now, what will be the effect on our farming community, our farmers especially?” he said.

Following the Senate’s failure to ratify the trade agreement before Congress went on sine die adjournment,  RCEP’s ratification or rejection now falls under the 19th Congress during Marcos’ incoming administration.

Marcos said RCEP is good as it aims to encourage trade and all great economies engage in the same.

He, however, pointed out that the state of the country’s competitiveness could be a stumbling block to the effectiveness of RCEP.

He explained that the agricultural sector should be sufficiently robust to take on the competition that will ensue with the opening of the markets.

“Ako, I’m a great proponent, a believer in trade. Walangyumamannabansanahindimaganda ang kanilang trade, meronsilang manufacturing, meronsilangine-export , ” he continued.

” They (progressive countries) are very involved in trade. All the great economies in the past, 200 to 300 years, really became rich because of trade and commerce,” the incoming Chief Executive said.

But he reiterated that the country must first ensure that it is ready to compete with fellow member nations before entering in the pact.

He was especially concerned about the competitiveness of the agricultural sector and the local farmers.

“So, let’s have a look at it again and make sure nahindinamanmalulugi ang atingagri-sector. Pagkaniratifynanatin ‘yan, dapathandana ‘yungsistemanatinnamakipag-compete. Dahil kung hinditalagamakapag-compete, masasapawansila, mawawala ‘yung ang atingmga local, ” he explained.

“Panay nanaman ang import natin and we don’t want that. We want to beef up the agricultural sector. We want to have sufficient food supply for the Philippines in case of any crisis,” he continued.

The RCEP Agreement, which was signed by the Philippines together with ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand on 15 November 2020 during the 4th RCEP Leaders’ Summit, is the world’s largest free trade area in terms of global trade, GDP, FDIs, and market.

The Department of Trade and Industry highlighted the critical role of RCEP in boosting equitable economic growth especially for MSMEs, through the expansion of regional trade, services, and investment linkages.

The agency also presented the 4Cs in which the key benefits of RCEP for the Philippines can be summarized, namely: a) cheaper costs for sourcing key inputs of the manufacturing sector; b) convenience for businesses in trading with key FTA partners; c) competitiveness for Philippine industries; and d) complementation of existing government support programs.

During the campaign, Marcos proposed to revisit the country’s existing foreign trade agreements, especially those affecting agriculture, to assess if they are working out for the country’s benefit.

In the late ’80s, the Philippines implemented trade reforms that substantially opened up the economy.

Later on, the proliferation of regional trading arrangements worldwide and the rise of Asian bilateralism have prompted the Philippines to begin thinking about jumping on the FTA bandwagon.

But data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the country’s agriculture trade has been declining on an annual basis for the last decades.

Nakipagkita na si outgoing Vice-President Leni Robredo sa transition team ni Vice President – elect Sara Duterte Carpio kahapon.

Naganap ito sa Quezon City Reception House at Ben-Lor Building kung saan sinamahan ni Robredo si Duterte sa paglilibot sa opisina ng Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Ang QCRH ang naging tanggapan ni Robredo habang ang Ben-Lor Building ang nagsisilbing opisina ng mga administrative unit niya.

Muli namang tiniyak ni VP Leni na sa pagkikita ay handa na siya at ang buong OVP Team sa anumang kakailanganing tulong ng susunod na administrasyon.

Opisyal na mauupo bilang bagong Bise presidente ng Pilipinas si Duterte sa Hunyo a-30 dakong alas-12 ng tanghali.

Umabot na sa mahigit 1M magsasaka ang nakinabang sa libreng irigasyon ng pamahalaan.

Ito ay matapos maging isang ganap na batas noong 2018 ang Free Irrigation Service Act.

Ayon kay Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes, katumbas ang nakinabang ng 1.1M ektarya ng lupang agrikultural.

Mula 2016 hanggang 2021, nasa mahigit 300,000 ektarya o 7.95% ang nadagdag na lupain na napapatubigan ng pamahalaan.

Sa kabuuan, aabot na sa mahigit 2M ektarya ng lupain ang napatubigan ng pamahalaan na katumbas ng 64.28% na Irrigation Development.

Isa sa legasiyang iiwanan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa Pilipinas ay ang patubig sa mga sakahan.

Sinuportahan ng Estados Unidos ang paghahain ng diplomatic protest ng Pilipinas laban sa fishing ban na ipinatupad ng China sa bahagi ng West Philippine Sea.

Ayon kay US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, salungat sa 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling at international law na nakasaad sa United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ang Unilateral Fishing Moratorium ng China sa disputed territorial water.

Dahil dito, nanawagan ang opisyal sa China na sumunod sa obligasyon sa ilalim ng international law.

Matatandaang noong Martes ipinatawag ng bansa ang chinese diplomat kasunod ng anunsiyong unilateral fishing ban at umano’y harrassment ng isang Chinese Coast Guard Ship sa mga Pilipinong mangingisda.