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SINGAPORE (via PLDT)—Malacañang is amenable to the
Senate-proposed side agreement to the Japan-Philippines
Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) to pave the way
for the ratification of the country’s first bilateral
trade agreement.
Trade
Secretary Peter Favila told reporters on Sunday night
that the proposed side agreement, which would be in the
form of an exchange of diplomatic notes between the
Philippine and Japanese governments, is more feasible
than a renegotiation of the Jpepa.
Asked to
comment about the Senate proposal, Favila said in an
interview at the lobby of the Fullerton Hotel here: “You
know, if we could have some clarificatory statements to
that effect like the way we addressed the toxic issue,
where there was an exchange of diplomatic notes, I think
that’s the best way to proceed.”
A
renegotiation of the agreement, he said, “would be very
difficult because the Diet had already ratified that.”
Favila
added: “Even amendments, the opening for such is quite
hard, so the exchange of notes to me would be the best
avenue.” He stressed this would form part of the
agreement.
The
Philippine and Japanese governments earlier had an
exchange of notes to categorically state that the Jpepa
would not allow Japan to dump toxic waste and other
hazardous materials into the Philippines, to satisfy
concerns about the possible environmental impact of the
bilateral agreement.
Favila
said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo is already
aware of the need for an exchange of notes to ease any
remaining Senate concerns about the agreement.
He is
confident
Japan
would understand the need to produce a side agreement to
the Jpepa.
“They’re
keeping an open mind. They do realize that there are
some clarifications that have to be done especially when
it comes to [our] constitution, in the same manner that
we also respect their own constitution,” Favila said.
He was
also optimistic that once the necessary clarifications
are made, the Senate “would see the merits of the
ratification” in time for the Senate hearing on the
Jpepa on Friday.
“There
are issues about certain clarifications that need to be
addressed with respect to our constitution, and the
lawyers are working on it and we will have our hearing
this Friday, so we hope that things could be threshed
out,” Favila said.
Sen.
Miriam Defensor Santiago had earlier called on
Malacañang to produce a side agreement to the Jpepa to
ensure its ratification, especially as she believed that
the Jpepa in its current form “fails to make a
reservation for future preferential, protective or
development measures over Japanese investments.”
Favila
was to meet with Japanese Trade Minister Akira Amari
before the Asean economic ministers’ informal
consultations with the latter on Monday to apprise the
latter on the status of the Jpepa ratification at the
Senate.
He said
that when he was in Tokyo two weeks ago for the same
purpose, he told Amari that “the Philippine Senate has
always been known to arrive at a decision that is best
for the interest of the country and, of course, our
people,” apparently to explain why the ratification was
taking time.
Donald
Dee of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)
said in an interview at the
Singapore
International
Convention Center, where he was attending the Asean
Business Advisory Council (Abac) meeting on Monday, that
the PCCI would again urge the Senate to ratify the Jpepa,
especially as others in the region have forged the same
pact with Japan.
Dee said
other countries in the region that have free trade
agreements with Japan have been telling the Philippines
“to do our part and seek our ratification from our
Senate right away.” |
