SEAWEED processors belonging to the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) are urging the Philippine government, particularly the Department of Agriculture (DA), to lobby for the inclusion of carageenan in the generalized system of preferences (GSP) program of the US government.

SIAP president Benson Dakay said in an interview that while the government has already transmitted a petition to the US government to have carageenan included in its GSP scheme, Washington has yet to grant the request.

Commodities included in the GSP scheme may be shipped into the US at zero duty.

In its federal notice, the United States Trade Representative said it will give interested parties and governments until June 18, 5 p.m. to submit all petitions to modify the list of articles eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP or to review the GSP status of any beneficiary developing country.

“Until now, we’re still paying the 3-percent to 5-percent duty on carageenan exported to the US. In Japan and Canada, Philippine carageenan manufacturers are allowed to ship the product duty-free,” said Dakay.

The SIAP official said the duty-free access will certainly be a big boost to many processors who are reeling from the adverse impact of a stronger peso on their revenues, as well as declining harvests of seaweeds—the primary material used in producing carageenan—due to climate change.

SIAP wanted to be included in the GSP scheme as early as 2004, but it decided to scuttle its plan at the time as the pollution case it lodged against American firm FMC Marine Colloids Phils. Inc. was still unresolved.

In 2003, the group filed a case with the Pollution Adjudication Board under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources against FMC for allegedly polluting the Mactan Channel in Cebu with its discharge.

PROJECT delays have caused a drop in the funds disbursed by funding agencies for government projects under official development assistance (ODA) from January to December last year, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

POULTRY raisers are still awaiting the release of the new rules covering the importation of chicken under the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme.

TO boost tourism even in secluded corners of the country, the government is now dangling full incentives to hotel accommodations to be put up in far-flung areas that are frequented by tourists no matter how small they are.

SORSOGON CITY—Behind the picturesque scenery of the coastal municipality of Donsol, Sorsogon, that has captured international attention owing to the name it has earned as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World” is a grim picture of poverty, statistics show.

SEAWEED processors belonging to the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) are urging the Philippine government, particularly the Department of Agriculture (DA), to lobby for the inclusion of carageenan in the generalized system of preferences (GSP) program of the US government.

VIRAC, Catanduanes—At least three mini hydro- electric power plants are being developed here to become a source of power supply on this 11-town island province.