MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines should allow more foreign products to enter the market to help badly hit nations recover from the global financial crisis, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said.
In a position paper, the PCCI expressed its opposition for the call of other sectors to push local products first and institute import duties to protect locally made goods.
Members of the group said that they are against protectionism because an increase in tariff rates and the importation of other protectionist measures during the Great Depression showed that these kinds of policies only lead to the further depression of economies and thus, to a global economic slump.
PCCI said that they do not believe that protectionism will help in the recovery of the global economy.
“While some countries have signified their intention to protect their domestic industries and sectors from the crisis, history has shown that this will only lead to retaliatory measures from others, which would only further undermine global trade,” the group said.
As such, the PCCI stressed that a more open trading system, which is the main agenda of the Doha Round, is one of the best avenues to help address the ongoing global economic crisis.
“PCCI considers the principles of openness, transparency, non-discrimination, and fairness espoused by the Doha Round to be important drivers in stimulating the growth of a battered global economy,” the paper said.
At the same time, PCCI welcomed the release of the December 2008 negotiating drafts for agriculture and non-agriculture market access negotiations (NAMA) even if some of the provisions are not favorable to the Philippines.
On agriculture products, PCCI said that there is a need to increase the percentage of tariff lines that will be accorded no tariff cuts.
The group said that the five percent proposed number of tariff lines in the negotiating text is not sufficient to cover all Philippine agriculture sectors, and would thus lead to the domestic sectors/ stakeholders to “fight out” each other.
Moreover, PCCI said that the proposed average tariff cut is too high and asked the negotiators to fight for a rate that is lower than the proposed 11 percent. –Ma. Elisa P. Osorio, Philippine Star
June 2025
Philippine Environment Month!
“Action for Nature, for the Future!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
1 Jun – World Day of Parents
5 Jun – World Environment Day
7 Jun – World Food Safety Day
8 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against Child Labour
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
Daily Observances:
June 6: Migrant Workers Day
June 19: Filipino Youth Day
June 25: Day of the Filipino Seafarer
