MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla assured yesterday that the government would “maintain sufficient protection measures” for the agriculture sector.
Fondevilla made the assurance following calls from sectoral groups for agriculture and trade officials currently attending the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Meeting in India to defend the Philippine agricultural sector against unfair trade deals.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap is attending the WTO Ministerial Meeting in India.
According to Fondevilla, “we will maintain sufficient protection measures for all sectors of Philippine agriculture, mindful that the most effective form of shield is an enduring domestic support system.”
However, Fondevilla was also quick to add that “the Philippines will honor its commitments under the WTO and Asean Free Trade Alliance (AFTA), but such commitments shall never be at the expense of our farmers and fisherfolk.”
Fondevilla, unfortunately, did not elaborate further on what specific protection measures the country’s agri and trade negotiators would ensure.
Sectoral groups, led by the Rice Watch and Action Network (R1), is urging the country’s chief agri and trade negotiators to take the lead among developing countries in securing Special Safeguard Mechanisms (SSM) for agricultural products.
The SSM is a flexibility measure for developing countries under the WTO which will allow the imposition of additional duty on applied tariffs when the volume of imports shoot up or the prices of imported products abnormally go down, unfairly competing with local agricultural products.
There are fears that the powerful G7 countries would reject demands from developing countries for greater protection and instead continue to push for continued liberation and market access.
Philippine agri and trade negotiators, R1 urged, should not agree to any farm deal that would abandon agriculture flexibilities for the Philippines and other developing countries. –Marianne V. Go (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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