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Philippines


Santiago sees ‘dead’ JPEPA if gov’t won’t explain benefits
Philippine government negotiators have failed anew to answer basic questions from senators on the benefits of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) to the country. During today’s hearing, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, told government negotiators: “If I find it impossible to defend it on the Senate on the basis of your statement, then as chair, I will be compelled to defer submission of my committee reports. In other words, JPEPA will be dead.”
Militant groups picket Senate in time for JPEPA hearing
Cause-oriented groups under the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan on Thursday picketed the Philippine Senate to coincide with hearings on the Japan Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.
Senators slam ‘fuzzy’ gov’t presentation of JPEPA
Philippine government officials are having a hard time justifying the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement to the Senate
Mass mobilizations mark the first Senate hearing on JPEPA
A crowd of more than 300 laborers, farmers, fishers, and environmentalists from the Magkaisa Junk JPEPA Coalition today called on the Senators of the 14th Congress to look beyond the rosy projections and government hype surrounding the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and to carefully assess its short-term and long-term implications.
Fair trade group seeks JPEPA renegotiation
The Philippine Senate should hold back action on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement and instead go for renegotiation, this time involved affected sectors in the talks, said Quezon Rep. Lorenzo R. Tañada III.
JPEPA: Para Saan? Para Kanino?
We at the Fair Trade Alliance are not convinced that the JPEPA is a good template for a productive, balanced and win-win trade and economic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.
Group says new fertilizer aid tied to JPEPA
The Philippine national fishermen’s alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas has voiced out suspicions that the timing of the release of a P125-million fertilizer grant from the Japanese government was “closely linked” to the approval of the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Solon seeks probe of 31 other ’ZTEs’ with Chinese firms
Aside from the controversial ZTE deal, the Philippine government has entered into at least 31 other “questionable" investment agreements with corporations in China, Akbayan party-list Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros said. "Like JPEPA, no one has seen the content of the deals and the government is refusing to divulge their details to the public."
Squeezed: The real cost of free trade in the Asia-Pacific
Filmed in Thailand and The Philippines in July 2007, Squeezed tells the story of how free trade agreements and globalisation are changing the lives of millions of people living in the Asia-Pacific region.
Philippines wants fishing agreement in S. China Sea
The Philippines wants an agreement to allow free fishing in disputed waters of the South China Sea
Arroyo on FTA promo blitz but environmentalists worry
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s team has begun a high-profile public relations blitz to urge the Senate to ratify a free-trade pact with Japan.
Japan eyes tuna in trade pact with Philippines
What the Japanese government and its transnational fishing clients are really after are the Philippines’ precious tunas.
JPEPA reduces RP into an insurance firm for Japanese investors
JPEPA is said to harbor “highly anomalous" arrangements, one of which is reducing the Philippines government to an insurance company for Japanese investors
WB junks Fraport’s Naia 3 claim
The World Bank has dismissed the claim for compensation from the Philippine government over the Naia Terminal 3 project of Germany’s Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide (Fraport)
Toxic treaty favors Japan, not the Philippines
“In my view, the JPEPA is an atrocious treaty,” exclaimed international law expert and former Dean of the UP College of Law, Dean Merlin Magallona, one of the invited speakers at a roundtable discussion at the Philippine Senate today, which provided the venue for impacted sectors to share their findings on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
Sign on: Reject JPEPA! Defend our people’s sovereignty!
We call on all freedom-loving Filipinos not to allow yet another surrender of our country to Japan. Reject the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement!
Free trade pacts with China, Japan to further weaken RP economy
Philippine trade deals with Japan and China, which President Gloria Arroyo recently urged Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members to act on, will further weaken the country’s already damaged domestic economy.
EU wants proposed cooperation pact tied to RP rights record
An official from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs admitted that given the country’s record of extrajudicial killings, the negotiating team is seriously concerned about whether the Philippines may qualify for a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with EU, a requisite for the country taking part in the EU-ASEAN free trade agreement.
Fishy issues in Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA)
The Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) is up for ratification by the Philippine Senate. However, there are socio-environmental and equity issues on fisheries trade and investments that demand answers or solutions from policymakers of both countries.
Is JPEPA an executive agreement?
Despite the submission of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) for Senate ratification in the Philippines, some quarters are of the opinion that under the Tariff and Customs Code this bilateral economic deal can be considered an executive agreement and therefore does not need Senate ratification.