(The Stop the New Round! Coalition sends a delegation to Cancun,
Mexico to monitor the Philippine Government's stance on on-going trade
talks and the outcome of the Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the World
Trade Organization on September 10-14, 2003.)
IT TOOK country's chief trade negotiator, Secretary Manuel Roxas
II, six months to face the Stop the New Round! Coalition and answer
basic questions on the ongoing trade talks. Meeting Secretary Roxas
was critical to have a relevant consultative process. For one, the
pronouncements of his undersecretaries on the ongoing trade negotiations
have ranged from a lack of position to vague and cryptic assertions.
Public interest groups needed something definite to respond to in
order to be sure that their positions were not drowned in pro-forma
consultations that some government processes are notorious for. But
more importantly, as the country's chief negotiator in the WTO, the
Secretary's representation in the upcoming Ministerial Conference
in Cancun, Mexico is what will ultimately bind the country to enforceable
commitments under the multilateral trading body.
The road to meeting Secretary Roxas was extremely difficult. With
so much at stake, the government has refused to disclose its negotiating
position and to subject this to an informed debate. The country's
top negotiators, Secretary Roxas, Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo
and Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri, stymied attempts by public
interest groups and affected sectors to bring the issue of trade negotiations
out in the public arena when the three secretaries requested the House
Special Committee on Globalization to hold its inquiry BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS when it was their turn to face the committee. Secretary Roxas
on August 1 was even quoted by a major newspaper saying "I cannot
discuss the specifics of the Philippine position that we will present
in Cancun, these have to be kept confidential until we lay them before
the negotiating table."
The Stop the New Round! Coalition persevered and kept the call alive.
Meeting the negotiators meant more than an opportunity to shake hands
with them. The Coalition was particularly concerned about the government's
inability to develop a coherent national strategy for Cancun. Despite
many complaints from the sectors, it has not undertaken any comprehensive
study on the impact of the implementation of its tariff reduction
program on agriculture and industry that can be a basis for its positions
in the ongoing negotiations. Nor does the government have a clear
development or industrial promotion framework to base its negotiating
positions on.
There were also indications that the negotiators were not discussing
details not because they want to keep their negotiating position confidential,
but they did not know what they will bargain for and bargain away
in Cancun. A leaked communication from the WTO section of the Permanent
Mission of the Philippines in Geneva reveals that as late as July
15, 2003, the Permanent Mission was still looking to the decision-makers
in Manila for guidance on the issues under negotiation
On August 20, in the meeting with Secretary Roxas, the Coalition
got a rough idea of what government's stand is on key issues being
negotiated in the run-up to the Cancun Ministerial. Late last week,
and as the major dailies bannered, part of these indications was reaffirmed
by the President herself.
On the general framework in the negotiations, the Philippines is
supposed to take the view that liberalization should be managed in
a way that will help the country develop. On agriculture negotiations,
it will protect rice through the proposed strategic products mechanism
under the proposed new agreement on agriculture, and will work for
the removal of domestic subsidies as well as the increase in market
access in developed countries. On industrial tariffs, there is a view
that the issue is more internal, the country having lower applied
rates than those committed to the WTO, and that the policy will be
determined instead in the ongoing tariff review. On the trade related
intellectual property rights (TRIPS) agreement, it said it will work
to retard efforts to dilute the trigger events for invoking public
health ground for the override of intellectual property. On GATS,
while not disclosing what requests it has received and what offers
it intends to give, the Philippine team said that sectors protected
by the Constitution will not be offered for liberalization. Finally,
the country is "uncomfortable" with the idea of including
new issues of investment, competition policy, transparency in government
procurement and trade facilitation in the WTO, and it will work to
oppose or retard their inclusion.
We hold Secretary Roxas and the whole Philippine negotiating team
accountable to the positions they declared. Following Secretary Roxas'
pronouncement that their position is "the position of the President",
we will also keep the pressure on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
to make sure that our negotiators negotiate for the national interest
in Cancun, Mexico.
But while we welcome the clearer positions of the Government, we
say that these are not enough. There are crucial issues that remain
unaddressed.
The strategic products mechanism is an insufficient vehicle to continue
protecting rice. The Coalition calls on the Government to continue
the application of quantitative restrictions on rice, or the prohibition
of rice importation. The Government is also not clear on whether or
not it will agree to new liberalization, in the form of deeper tariff
cuts, in agriculture. It is also silent on fisheries, a sector still
protected from WTO rules. Small fisherfolk clamor for the exclusion
of fisheries from the WTO's jurisdiction. During the dialogue with
SNR!, Secretary Roxas said he would look into the possibility of "considering
fisheries for the 5% exemption" from binding in the non-agricultural
commitments. This route, however, presupposes agreement to the new
liberalization in non-agricultural products, which meant more tariff
cuts for industry. The Coalition reiterates its call on the Government
not to agree to further liberalization in industry. Any commitment
to further liberalize industry will put more pressure on the sector,
and will preempt the ongoing tariff review process.
Today, as we send off our negotiators to Cancun, we would like to
outline our "pasalubong" list. We will be happy to welcome
them back to the country if they bring the following news home to
us:
that there is no agreement on new liberalization in agriculture;
that the quantitative restriction on rice is extended;
that fisheries is excluded from the WTO's jurisdiction;
that no new liberalization in industry is agreed;
that negotiations on services are frozen;
that there is a strong pro-developing country elaboration of the
TRIPS and public health provision; and,
that there is no agreement to include the new issues of investment,
competition policy, transparency in government procurement and trade
facilitation;
On the home front, these "pasalubong" should be complemented
by the careful and purposive review of the country's industrial and
agricultural policy. Concretely, the ongoing tariff structure review
process should be made transparent, participatory and democratic.
It is only in ensuring the integrity of this process that the Government
can show sincerity in increasing the stakes of the people, and that
the people are real partners in development.
The Stop the New Round! Coalition is sending its own delegation to
Cancun to monitor the negotiations and keep the pressure up on our
negotiators, and to express solidarity with the thousand other civil
society representatives and public interest activists who will be
sharing the same goals in Cancun next week.
---------------
For inquiries, please contact the Stop the New Round! Coalition Secretariat
at 4333387 and 4330899. You may also contact the Media Team c/o Mary
Ann Manahan at 0917-8210694.
STOP THE NEW ROUND COALITION Organizations:Action
for Economic Reforms (AER), Akbayan! Citizens Party, Alliance of Progressive
Labor, Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao (AFRIM), AR Now!,
Bayanihan International Solidarity Secretariat, Bukluran ng Manggagawang
Pilipino (BMP), Bukluran sa ikauunlad ng sosyalistang isip at gawa
(BISIG), Center for Agrarian Reform, Empowerment and Transformation
(CARET), Confederation of Independent Unions in the Public Sector
(CIU), Focus on the Global South, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC),
Global Network-Philippines, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Integrated
Rural Development Foundation (IRDF), Kalayaan, Katapat, Kilusang Mangingisda
(KM), Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD), Kilusang Makabansang
Ekonomiya (KME), Labor Education and Research Network (LEARN), Pambansang
Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK), Partnership for Agrarian
Reform and Rural Development Services (PARRDS), PATAMABA National
Network of Homeworkers, Peoples' Global Exchange (PGX), Philippine
Network of Rural Development Institutes (Philnet-RDI), Philippine
Peasant Institute (PPI), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
(PRRM), Rural Enlightenment and Accretion in Philippine Society (REAPS),
Sandigan at Ugnayan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (SUMAPI), Sanlakas,
Sarilaya, Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment
(SEARICE), Tambuyog Development Center (TDC), WomanHealth Philippines
Individuals:Jessica Reyes-Cantos, Prof. Rene Ofreneo, Prof. Miriam
Coronel Ferrer, Prof. Perlita Frago , Verna Dinah Viajar, Sharon Quinsaat,
Provincial and Regional Formations: SNR- Batangas, SNR-Cebu, SNR-Nueva
Ecija, SNR-Mindanao
Declaration Endorsed by : Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales, Rep.Mario Aguja
Akbayan Partylist, Rep. Del R. de Guzman - Lone District, Marikina
City, Rep. Emmanuel Joel Villanueva - CIBAC Partylist, Rep. Herminio
Teves-Chairperson of the House Special Committee on Globalization,
Rep. JV Bautosta, Sanlakas Partylist, Rep. Renato Magtubo Partido
ng Manggagawang Pilipino, Prof. Rosalinda Pineda-Ofreneo, Jaime Tadeo,
Federation of Free Workers (FFW), La Liga Policy Institute, MAKALAYA,
, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA),Philippine
NGO Liaison Committee on Food Security and Fair Trade (PNLC), Resource
Center for Peoples Development (RCPD),Francisco Floro
Email : stop[at]focusphilippines[dot]org
Stopthenewround-philippines[at]yahoogroups[dot]com
Tel: (632) 4331673, 433-3387
