Angara calls for drastic measures vs two countries

DAVAO CITY -- Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara called for drastic measures against Australia and Belgium for an extremely lopsided trade balance with the Philippines as a result of their having banned the entry of the leading agricultural products.

"The trade balance has been scandalously in favor of these two countries with the Philippines getting only a very meager sum compared to what we are importing from Australia and Belgium. We have been very friendly to them and we have been importing their products and yet they do not buy ours," Angara said.

Angara stressed with his call for action against the two countries, "I am just fighting any act of discrimination against us. That is why we have to think of strong measures we can apply against these two countries."

The agriculture secretary said he could not understand why the country's three world-class products such as pineapple, banana and mango could not penetrate the two countries when these have gained wide acceptance in leading markets such as the United States.

Angara lashed out at Australia for enjoying a positive trade balance of over $500 M from the cattle, dairy and other related products compared to the $20 M worth of goods that the Philippines exports to the said country.

"We have been working on the entry of our agricultural products to Australia since 1993. But they always come out with one pytho-sanitary requirement to another ranging from fruit flies to stem-borers and all those things which we believe we have satisfactorily complied. Still, Australia refuses to let our products in," he said.

Among the European countries, only Belgium has singled out Philippine-canned tuna as being banned from entering its market.

Angara said the trade imbalance with Belgium has been raised before the World Trade Organization, the case with Australia will also soon be bought before the world body, he added.

Angara further said that in an attempt to assuage the Philippines Australia has extended assistance in technology and human resource development, including military and defense training.

"You just have to consider those things as small token which is really nothing. That technical assistance is very minimal and it's just as if a prick of their conscience," Angara said.

He said Australia and Belgium should consider that the Philippines has been one of the first Asean countries to have liberalized its trade.

"These countries should treat us right because we have opened our markets to them. And yet, they are not opening to us," Angara added.