Since the 2005 World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Hong Kong, the Philippines—as a key member of the so-called G-20 and Nama 11—has maintained that negotiations for new multilateral trade modalities should be sequential with agriculture going ahead first, followed by industrial goods and services.

This time, however, the Philippines is ready to support calls for simultaneous talks in agriculture, nonagriculture market access (Nama) and services as long as this would make the process faster and lead to the conclusion of the Doha Development round.

“That’s what we’re mulling over. Maybe it is better we know where everybody stands at the same time,” Trade Senior Undersecretary Thomas Aquino said.

Aquino said this matter should be decided by trade ministers in the “ministerial signaling meeting” that some countries are proposing, which could possibly to take place within the month.

“That can only be known there at the ministerial signaling; the general drift. Let’s hope they speak up. That would be a lot easier for us,” he said.

G-20, composed of countries seeking to ensure that for the Doha Round to be true to its developmental agenda, the new multilateral rules on agriculture, giving preferential treatment to developing countries, should be set first before anything else.

The Nama 11, on the other hand, are pushing for better market access for developing nations to the rich countries.

Aquino said if the sequential nature of negotiations that was set in Hong Kong will be followed, services should not be tackled yet until agriculture and Nama has moved.

Right now, however, Aquino said there appears to be an active entry of services in the picture.

This, he said, is because every body seems to know already the state of play in both agriculture and Nama.

Surely, if the Philippines decides to drop its G-20 and Nama stance, Aquino said several sectors in the country would be raising their arms in opposition.

The price of dressed chicken should not be more than P100 a kilogram (kg) at the retail level since farm- gate prices have even gone down in recent weeks, according to poultry raisers.

SUBIC BAY—Noting the failure by subcontractors to implement even commonsense safety measures that would have prevented the recent fatal accidents at the Hanjin shipyard here, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Thursday said it would close down companies found to disregard safety requirements at the jobsite.

THE National Food Authority (NFA) disclosed that Hanoi has committed to deliver some 10,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to the Philippines under the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR).

Since the 2005 World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Hong Kong, the Philippines—as a key member of the so-called G-20 and Nama 11—has maintained that negotiations for new multilateral trade modalities should be sequential with agriculture going ahead first, followed by industrial goods and services.

KABASALAN, Zamboanga Sibugay—A small group of municipal fishermen-turned-fish-cage operators in this town are going big time with their innovative livelihood projects, transforming their community into an ecotourism destination with the support of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

KABALASAN, Zamboanga, Sibugay—if you happen to see a bottled calamansi juice in the market, check the label and most probably, the nutritious, ready-to-drink beverage was manufactured by the Nazareth Women’s Association from this chiefly calamansi-producing town. 

KABASALAN, Zamboanga Sibugay—Agrarian-reform beneficiaries who took over the 920-hectare rubber plantation of Philippine Rubber Project Co. Inc. in this town have found more opportunities for work.