Roxas: JPEPA experience highlights need for gov't reforms

Senator Mar Roxas, Liberal Party President, said the harrowing experience in having the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) passed underscores the people’s distrust of government, and consequently, the need for reforms in state institutions.

“I think a lot of the mistrust associated with JPEPA began not as a result of the actual provisions of the treaty, but the secretive manner in which the government went about with it,” said Roxas, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce and co-chair of the JPEPA joint panel. 

He noted the Supreme Court case filed three years where executive privilege was cited to prevent the disclosure of information on JPEPA. Although the government was cleared by the high court, Roxas said this lack of open communication between stakeholders fostered ill will.

“The government must shift from this policy of ‘minimum disclosure’ that the government seems to have adopted in all its dealings, from the NBN-ZTE project to the GRP-MILF agreement on the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity, and others,” he said.

 The Senator maintained that although the JPEPA would not benefit Filipinos much, it would be far more harmful to not pass it and be left behind by other ASEAN countries trading with Japan.

“Some say we could have gotten more. Others claim, we gave up too much. Let me be candid. I too feel that we could have negotiated better. We could have gotten more,” he said.

“The choice before us is not the present JPEPA versus another better JPEPA that we can pick and choose from. The choice before us is the present JPEPA versus no JPEPA and an uncertain future as to when it could be renegotiated again and what terms we could actually obtain at that future time,” he added.

In order to address environmental concerns raised by some groups, Roxas has called on the executive to transmit to the Senate the Basel Ban Amendment, which would widen the coverage of hazardous substances banned for export, to include items for recycling. “It’s about time that the Senate reviews and consults with stakeholders on the need to ratify the amendment to the Basel Ban Convention. The important thing is to get started with the discussions,” he said.

He has also filed a bill to increase the penalties for violation of Republic Act No. 6969, the Toxic Substance and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.

Roxas said a way to encourage transparency and accountability in government is his proposed Free Information Act, Senate Bill No. 109. A counterpart bill has already been passed in the House of Representatives, sponsored by fellow Liberal Erin Tañada of Quezon. The measure would require government offices to respond to all requests for public information within two days, unless this would place at risk national security, diplomatic relations or the peace and order situation.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 | posted in asean, bangsamoro juridical entity, erin tañada, free information act, japan, jpepa, mar roxas, milf, pgma, philippines, quezon, supreme court | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Japan leaders back need for a constitutional JPEPA

LP President Senator Mar Roxas stressed before leaders of the Japanese government how important it is for the Philippines to preserve and protect its Constitution in relation to the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and said that the Japanese officials agreed to this.

Roxas travelled to Japan this week to discuss vital regional issues, particularly the JPEPA and the ongoing food and oil price crisis, with former and incumbent members of the Japanese Cabinet.

"For the sake of Japan-Philippine relations, I told them that it's important for us to have a meeting of minds on this issue, and put this in writing in an official exchange of letters. They understand how important this issue to us, and I'm glad to report that they assured us that they will certainly respect our Constitution," he said.

While in Tokyo, Roxas met with Nobutaka Machimura, Chief Cabinet Secretary; Masahiko Komura, Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) ; Yasuhisa Shiozaki Member of Parliament (MP) and former Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Taro Aso, MP and former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"We need to strengthen ties with our key economic partners at this time when world food and oil prices are going through the roof. These adversely impact upon our people's interest in terms of incomes, jobs and livelihoods as well as our country's competitiveness and geopolitical strategies," Roxas, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said.

At the same time, he stressed that "in all trade agreements, our national sovereignty and interest must be paramount."

JPEPA is now pending plenary deliberations in the Senate for its concurrence. It was signed and ratified by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former Japanese Primer Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2006. The landmark treaty encountered a major stumbling block in the Senate when questions as to its Constitutionality were raised by legal experts and various stakeholder groups.

Plenary discussions on the treaty have not yet begun, after Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo requested for time to discuss the concerns about the constitution with his Japanese counterparts.

Roxas earlier disclosed his findings on the economic provisions of the treaty. In sum, he determined that while the treaty provides marginal potential benefits, its rejection by the Philippines would result in real and wide-ranging losses in terms of jobs and incomes. "Our country will get left behind because the rest of ASEAN already have EPAs with Japan."

"Ang mga pagkakataon na nakapaloob dito sa JPEPA ay hawak natin. Hamon sa gobyerno na itong mga 'potential gains' ay maipatupad sang-ayon sa ating pambansang interes," Roxas said.

Click here to read the statement of Senator Roxas on the Supreme Court's decision about JPEPA.

Monday, July 21, 2008 | posted in alberto romulo, asean, japan, jpepa, junichiro koizumi, mar roxas, masahiko komura, nobutaka machimura, pgma, philippines, reynato puno, supreme court, taro aso, yasuhisa shiozaki | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas reiterates call for special ASEAN Rice Summit

Senator Mar Roxas reiterated his call for the Department of Foreign Affairs to formally propose a special ASEAN Leaders' Summit on Rice and Food Security in light of the impending creation of an Asian rice cartel known as OREC or Organization of Rice Exporting Countries led by Thailand.

Roxas, chair of the Senate trade and commerce committee, said the ASEAN must move as one in helping secure regional food security in light of soaring oil and rice prices.

"Neglecting to act as a regional bloc amid a rice and food crisis can raise doubts in the minds of other world leaders on ASEAN's determination to pursue economic integration," Roxas stressed.

"Before OREC is institutionalized, the ASEAN community must weigh in as a regional bloc to obtain trade privileges with its fellow members in keeping with the ASEAN spirit," Roxas said, adding that it would be unfortunate if the ASEAN bloc where the two biggest rice exporting countries in the world are members of, could not forge a common agenda on rice and food security.

He noted that the countries that would initially comprise OREC are all ASEAN members. According to the Thai government, four countries, namely, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam have agreed in principle to form a rice price-fixing cartel similar to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The senator said that even if Vietnam and Thailand have agreed to accept the Philippines' order for 1.2 million metric tons, the government should still confirm whether such shipments are iron-clad despite the formation of OREC.

"We need to see the bill of particulars governing these orders to check whether there are fixed dates for delivery and a firm, iron-clad commitment to meet the order," Roxas added.

Senator Roxas recommends that the DFA seek a briefing from the Thai Embassy on how the creation of an OREC would affect rice importing countries such as the Philippines.

"Given the cordial relations between and among the Philippines and these five ASEAN countries, we should take a more proactive role in clarifying the role of OREC and whether it is prepared to give concessions to fellow ASEAN members," Roxas said.

Friday, May 2, 2008 | posted in asean, cambodia, dfa, food crisis, laos, mar roxas, myanmar, opec, orec, philippines, rice crisis, thailand, vietnam | 1 comments [ More ]

Roxas: Focus on plentiful domestic harvest, not 'pakitang-tao'

Senator Mar Roxas called on the executive to provide clear solutions to address the insufficient domestic production of rice, rather than be focused merely on political considerations which do not provide any real help to the people.

"The government is on the wrong track in adopting the tingi approach to our rice problem. This is a production and supply problem, and so, we must address its root causes and not just the symptoms. Ang problema natin, kulang ang bigas, kaya dapat ang focus natin ay sa pag-siguro na na may sapat na ani," he said.

"The government's response is politically influenced. I see summits and lots of photo-ops, but I don't see substantive programs. It's unfortunate that the government activities are a-la-police—the NBI will raid, the military will distribute—but I have not seen much in how we can produce more rice," he added.

Roxas also warned the administration not to issue rice access cards unless there is a competent system in place and clear guidelines to be followed by local officials and the National Food Authority, to avoid confusion and politicizing the process.

"If we have a rice rationing system, politicians will now say 'yung mga kakampi ko, magkaka-bigas.' Whenever there is shortage or rationing, you now introduce the element of subjective choice, or who-gets-what. Mahirap iyan," he said, explaining that this could lead to more confusion and could trigger food riots and demonstrations.

"Instead, I recommend an expansion of the Food-for-Work program where poor families are harnessed to help in their communities, in exchange for a stable supply of food," the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade added.

The Liberal Party President said to ensure plentiful domestic harvest, he proposed:

1. All conversions of irrigated land should be stopped, and investigate how much has the government spent on irrigation for these converted lands;
2. Ensure that all of the inputs necessary—seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, among others—must be made available to farmers;
3. Consider the development of 'small water impounding' irrigation systems, which costs only about P30,000 per hectare, versus large-scale irrigation through dams which costs P100,000 per hectare;
4. Open up the Agusan and Lanao marsh areas for planting, as these are ideal for planting rice, similar to the Vietnamese river delta basin;
5. Invest in eliminating wastage in the drying of rice, estimated at 30% of annual consumption, and more than enough to cover the NFA's importation of 2 million MT of rice or 17% of annual consumption.

He noted that aside from the planned issuance of rice vouchers, the administration had already floated a hodge-podge of stopgap solutions, including:

1. Limiting how much NFA rice an individual may buy;
2. Using of indelible ink to discourage returning buyers;
3. Calling on consumers to eat brown rice;
4. Calling on fast-food chains to offer half-cup rice;
5. Linking up with Churches and LGUs, and even deputizing soldiers, to help in distributing cheaper varieties of NFA rice;
6. Threats of raids on warehouses even if there are no clear guidelines yet.

He noted that the government has embarked or at least floated these solutions, even as it denies that a rice supply crisis does not exist.

"Kaya nga dapat magpakatotoo ang gobyerno at aminin ang problema sasambayanan para sama-sama tayong lahat sa paghanap ng pinakamagandang paraan at solusyon sa krisis na ito," he added.

The senator noted that rice-exporting countries have already announced its plans to curb medium-grade rice exports to protect their own respective domestic supplies.

"This makes our call for an emergency ASEAN Leaders' Summit on the rice crisis even more urgent. We can then appeal to our rice exporting neighbors to give priority to fellow ASEAN members in the allocation of exported rice," Roxas said.

"Now, the surplus is gone, the old standby—'never mind, we can always import'—is no longer available. This is not just a slogan of 'food security,' we must now produce our own rice," he said.

Thursday, April 17, 2008 | posted in asean, food crisis, mar roxas, nfa, pgma, philippines, president | 0 comments [ More ]

Roxas calls for ASEAN Leaders’ Summit on food security

Senator Mar Roxas, chairman of the Senate trade and commerce committee, called on the Philippine government to take the lead in calling for an ASEAN Leaders’ Summit to address the rice crisis and ensure food security in the region.

In a press release, Roxas announced that he would file a resolution on Monday expressing the sense of the Senate that the Philippines should take the lead in calling for such a special Leaders’ Summit, to ensure food and rice security in the coming months.

“ASEAN has in its membership the world’s two biggest rice exporters and the world’s biggest rice importer. The proposed ASEAN Leaders’ Summit has the opportunity to ease the fear and crisis that is gripping both the producing farmers and consumer families across ASEAN and the region. This kind of crisis is exactly why ASEAN exists. ASEAN must address and intervene in this crisis to prove to the world that it can take the lead in the political and economic integration of its member-nations” the former trade secretary said.

The Filipino leader said the proposed ASEAN leaders’ summit could even include non-ASEAN neighbors as such as Japan, South Korea and China for an ASEAN Plus Three Summit as well as multinational financial institutions, which have a critical interest on both the consumer and producer sides of the current crisis.

“At the ASEAN Summit in Singapore last year, an ASEAN Charter was adopted. This document would be meaningless if the leaders of ASEAN cannot get together to ensure solidarity against hunger made worse by soaring rice and food prices,” the former trade and commerce secretary explained.

Roxas said the Philippines can invoke a provision in the ASEAN Charter on Summits that allows its leaders to hold a summit to “address emergency situations affecting ASEAN by taking appropriate actions.”

The president of the Liberal Party also quoted from the ASEAN Charter’s preamble that resolved “to ensure sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations and to place the well-being, livelihood and welfare of the peoples at the centre of the ASEAN community building process.”

Saturday, April 12, 2008 | posted in asean, china, food crisis, japan, mar roxas, pgma, philippines, president, south korea | 0 comments [ More ]