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Philippines

The Philippines signed its first bilateral FTA with Japan in 2006 and is presently party to the ASEAN FTA processes (China, India, Korea, Japan and Australia/New Zealand). The Philippine government has been trying to get Washington to offer an FTA, while those of New Zealand and Chile are apparently in favour of a bilateral deal with Manila. The Philippine government wants to join the TPP, and is engaged in efforts to lay the groundwork for negotiations with the EU for a possible FTA.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Michel Cermak/Twitter


Group urges Palace to reveal content of RP-US free trade pact
A militant fisher folk group urged Malacañang on Tuesday to disclose the content of the proposed RP-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which it said might be the top agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s state visit to the United States next week.
Trade dept backs proposal for trade rep office
A proposal to create an Office of the Philippine Trade Representative (OPTR) is being supported by the Department of Trade and Industry as a means to help strengthen the country’s capability to negotiate external trade.
RP trade deal not on US agenda
Filipino exporters will have to wait until a new US president opens up more markets and expands trade with the country’s largest trading partner, with a bilateral free trade deal with the Philippines absent in the Bush administration’s final policy agenda.
US cool to RP’s proposal for free trade agreement
The United States remains lukewarm to the Philippines’ push for a free trade agreement. While the US is seeking Philippine support in the WTO talks, the Philippines is asking the US government to move forward on an FTA or at least craft a new trade and investment framework agreement.
Beef market opens wider to Philippines
Recent bilateral negotiations have led to an agreement giving US beef complete access to the Philippine market.
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."
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
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.
KMP calls for junking of RP-China economic agreements
The RP-China agricultural agreement, for example, provides China with the capability to produce food using Philippine territorial lands and waters.This would inevitably mean massive displacement of peasants from their lands, and the crops to be planted are not for Filipino consumption but for export to China.
Commentary: RP-Lao bilateral agreement a milestone in ASEAN accord
The signing of bilateral agreement early evening of June 8 between two ASEAN member nations, the Philippines and Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is not only a milestone in the more than 50 years of friendly relations between said countries, it is also a landmark in the ASEAN accord.