RCEP ratification will put PH local industries, agri-fisheries at risk — Pamalakaya

MANILA, Philippines – A fishers’ group on Wednesday said that the agri-fisheries sectors and other Philippine businesses would be at risk following the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ratification.

Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) decried the ratification of the world’s largest free trade pact.

“RCEP will further flood our local market with cheap imports at the expense of our farmers and fisherfolk,” Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

According to the group, the country has imported about 200,000 metric tons of round scad and other pelagic fish from China, Vietnam, and Taiwan between 2018 and 2022, despite the RCEP not yet being in effect.

With the Philippines’ official participation in RCEP, the militant fisherfolk stressed that a flood of imported agricultural goods is anticipated to hit the nation, which will “threaten the local industry that has been neglected of significant government support, and which will be outcompeted by imports.”

Pamalakaya noted that RCEP would also potentially impact intensified conversion projects in fishing grounds and coastal areas by Chinese investors and developers, as well as the expansion of private aquaculture in municipal fishing grounds funded by Chinese firms for export in their country, among others.

“By railroading the RCEP, the Marcos administration has openly demonstrated its subservience to foreign countries, particularly to China which has been pushing the said mega free trade deal. It is very disappointing that the Marcos administration and its legislators did not even consider the ongoing usurpation of China in the West Philippine Sea before they approved the RCEP,” Hicap said.

Policies of import liberalization should be put to an end, and the government should focus on strengthening the local industry instead, the group said.

Hicap said that “by breaking free from foreign policies that favor powerful countries such as China, the Philippine government only effectively asserts national sovereignty.” – Kimberly D. Albaño, INQUIRER.net intern

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JMS