Post-Cancun policy thrusts

Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda has called for the crafting of a post-Cancun executive-legislative action plan that would firm up the major policy thrusts for the agriculture sector after the collapse of the 5th Ministerial Round of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico in September.

Legarda urged the leaders of all political parties to unite behind the action plan, which she said should cover the following areas:

• Tariff policy;

• A firm, unwavering stand against the massive subsidies that wealthy economies pour into their spoiled farming sectors;

• A tough policy against the baseless quarantine and safety restrictions imposed on Philippine agricultural exports by so-called "Inspection Regimes" so as to ban or restrict the entry of competitive agricultural products from the Philippines; and

• A commitment to put more investments into agricultural and fishery modernization and development.

Legarda said all political leaders should transcend political affiliations and loyalties so the Philippines would have "one stand and one voice" on the post-Cancun strategies for the agriculture sector.