RCEP won’t harm PH agri sector, farmers — Zubiri

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri briefs reporters on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement Tuesday, February 7, 2023. The Senate held a public hearing on RCEP Tuesday morning. RCEP is a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific Nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Zubiri said the Senate, through the Committee on Foreign Relations, will set up guidelines instructing the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other relevant agencies to “vigorously support” the agriculture sector. He said DA will also instruct the Bureau of Customs to pay more attention and follow the full force of the law when it comes to smuggling. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will not trample farmers and will not kill the country’s agriculture sector, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Wednesday.

During the Senate plenary session, Zubiri sponsored the RCEP, the largest free trade area worldwide.

“Bilang isang agrikulturista by education and by profession, naiintindihan ko po ang mga pangamba ng ating mga magsasaka. Alam n’yo naman po kung paano ko ipaglaban ang ating mga magsasaka dito sa loob ng Senado,” he said in his sponsorship speech.

(As an agriculturist by education and profession, I understand the concerns of our farmers. You know how I fight for our farmers here in the Senate.)

“Kaya gusto ko pong tiyakin sa sektor na hindi tatapakan ng RCEP ang ating mga magsasaka, at hindi nito papatayin ang ating agrikultura. Hindi ko rin naman po ito isusulong kung hindi benepisyo ang nakikita ko at dala natin dito. Ako ang unang haharang nito kung makakasama ito para sa atin,” the Senate president added.

(I want to assure the agriculture sector that RCEP will not trample our farmers and it will not kill our agriculture sector. I will not push for this if I do not see its benefits. I will be the first to block this if it is disadvantageous to us.)

Zubiri made the assurance while over 100 groups and individuals from various sectors called for the rejection of RCEP.

The critics argued that the “lives and welfare of millions of farmers, fishers, workers and other stakeholders are at stake.”

Zubiri, however, said that among the benefits of the RCEP are being able to source raw materials and intermediate goods from participating nations, process the products in the Philippines, and export those back to RCEP countries.

The Philippines will also be able to secure zero tariff rates for garments under the RCEP, he added.

The pact is also advantageous for the country’s fish canning factories, said Zubiri, as they can source and export fish to the RCEP region.

RCEP likewise provides convenient rules of doing trade from flexible certification procedures, advance rulings for tariff classification, valuation and rules of origin, and time-bound consultations and resolution of issues, the senator said.

The following senators signed the RCEP committee report:

• Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri
• Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda
• Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva
• Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III
• Senator Francis Tolentino
• Senator Robin Padilla
• Senator Mark Villar
• Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
• Senator Grace Poe
• Senator Jinggoy Estrada
• Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid
• Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
• Senator Sonny Angara
• Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
• Senator JV Ejercito
• Senator Nancy Binay

RCEP is a free trade pact between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.

gsg/abc