Govt told to flesh out economic plan

Oct. 21–The multisectoral Fair Trade Alliance (FairTrade) asked the Aquino administration to flesh out its industrial policy amid what the group called as the new government’s “bothersome” pronouncements. “The bigger challenge of the Aquino administration is the overhaul of the trade and development policy regime that has been in place in the last three decades,” Wigberto Tanada, former senator and FairTrade lead convenor, said in a position paper presented during the group’s 10th anniversary on Wednesday.

“With a big mandate from the people, it is time for the Aquino administration to make a bold break from the past by initiating radical changes in the country’s economic blueprint–not a lazy and mindless economic liberalization formula, but an integrated, inclusive and pro-Filipino approach to development,” Tanada, an old guard at the Liberal Party, said.

Tanada said President Benigno Aquino 3rd, who won the elections as the Liberal Party’s standard bearer, has yet to put in place his administration’s economic development plan or vision.

“Insofar as economic policy is concerned, after 100 days we have yet to see a more detailed and coherent presentation, other than snatches of statements on ‘transparency,’ ‘level playing field,’ and ‘public-private partnership,’ the form and content of which we have yet to understand,” he said.

“There are policy statements of [President Aquino] that FairTrade finds bothersome–for example, the cutting of subsidies for farmers and the promotion of open skies to develop tourism. We therefore ask this government, ‘what really is your framework of development?'” Tanada said.

The former senator noted that domestic manufacturers are not among the priority sectors that the Department of Trade and Industry had identified.

These priority sectors are tourism, business process outsourcing, electronics, mining, housing, and agriculture.

Tanada also called on the government to combat smuggling and pass an anti-smuggling law, recall Executive Order (EO) 464–which invokes executive privilege to avoid public disclosure of vital information–and pass the Freedom of Information bill.

The former senator also pushed for a review and renegotiation of the free trade agreements that the country has entered into, restore tariff rates to levels most beneficial for domestic industries, strengthen the Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Development Program or EO 877-A, and establish the Philippine Trade Representative Office, which would oversee trade negotiations and agreements. –Ben Arnold O. De Vera, The Manila Times