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!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
October –
Monthly Observances:
Industry and Commerce Safety Month
National Statistics Month
Local Government Month
Consumer Welfare Month
Cooperative Month
National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month
National Health and Wellness Tourism Month
National Indigenous Peoples Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Elderly Filipino Week
Week 2: National Health Education Week
Local Government Week
National Mental Health Week
October 17-23:
National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty
October 18 – 24:
United Nations Week
Last Week:
Nurses’ Week
Consumers’ Protection Week
Week of the 4th Sunday:
Barrio Farmers’ Week
Daily Observances:
First Monday (Oct 4): Universal Children’s Day i
n the Philippines
Oct 5: National Teachers’ Day
Oct 10: Local Government Day
Third Thursday (Oct 14): Conflict Resolution Day
Oct 21: Tenants’ Emancipation day
Oct 24: United Nations Day
Oct 29: National Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Day
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
