PCCI urges reforms on int’l trade deals
Ma. Elisa P. Osorio
Philippine Star
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the largest business group in the country, is urging the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to institutionalize reforms with the way it deals in international trade.
“Certainly, we do not want a repeat of what happened to JPEPA (Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement). Our negotiators must be knowledgeable enough on what they entered into so that when the grilling period comes, they can easily defend the agreement,” the government’s special envoy for international trade relations and PCCI chairman emeritus Donald G. Dee said.
The JPEPA is still pending before the Senate as the lawmakers have expressed reservations on the treaty apparently due to some flaws in its provisions.
As such, Dee has proposed the creation of a trade representative office, but the DTI is not too receptive to the idea.
Dee cited the need for the government to strengthen the international trade policies and systematize its negotiating arm so as to meet the challenges of trade liberalization, thereby becoming at par with other exporting countries.
“While the DTI may not want to support the idea of creating the trade representative office, it is still necessary that the government decides who will coordinate and call the shots in the negotiations,” Dee explained.
In spite of this, the DTI has agreed to institutionalize reforms that would effectively put in place the smooth conduct of international trade negotiations.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila earlier announced his plan to strengthen the Bureau of International Trade Relations under the DTIs rationalization plan.
Dee said he is hopeful the strengthening of the BITR will result in greater transparency in the formulation of government trade policies and negotiating strategies.
Meanwhile, some stakeholders pushed for the DTI.
Earlier, Trade Undersecretary Thomas Aquino admitted that while the DTI-BITR finds it difficult to attend to the demand of the negotiations, it does not submit to the proposed creation of a new agency.
“The DTI has chosen to pursue the expansion of the BITR to address the gap in the negotiations and in crafting the needed positions for various trade agreements,” Aquino said.
No Comments, Comment or Ping
Reply to “PCCI urges reforms on int’l trade deals”