The lone dissenter in the Senate’s ratification of the RCEP, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, stood pat on her position that the country was not yet ready to participate in the trade agreement. | jordeenelagare krixiasINQ melvingasconINQ /PDI
She expressed doubts that the Philippines’ participation in RCEP could protect the country from the health and security concerns posed by the anticipated “onslaught” of tobacco and formula milk advertisements.
“It seems that the responses given to me [by the proponents] carried a hint of personal affront. I just wish to stress that my fear is based not on my relationships with the powers that be, but based on the legacy of my father that the welfare of the marginalized farmers and the needy should always be the top priority,” she pointed out.
“It is not clear how the sector can capitalize on these potential gains, given the sorry state of agriculture in this country. At present, we are struggling to provide basic agricultural services that were promised as early as 1994 with the WTO ,” she said.Critics of RCEP insisted on Wednesday that the Philippines’ agricultural sector remained “grossly unprepared” for further liberalization and bound to take the biggest hit after the country voted to join the world’s biggest trade pact.
“We have enough laws that should have protected the sector, but they were never implemented,” he said.
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