CCCI still undecided over JPEPA

With the presence of more than a few Japanese firms here, negotiators and supporters of the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) are now counting on getting the support of the Cebu private sector for the ratification of JPEPA.

However, due to the furor over the pros and cons of the JPEPA, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has not issued their final stand to the deal adding that it might take them a few weeks to issue a statement after a thorough study on the matter.

During yesterday’s regional consultation on the approval of the JPEPA at the Cebu Parklane Hotel, Ponciano Intal, executive director of DLSU-Angelo King Institute, said it would be very favorable for Cebu, which is highly composed of several trade groups, to support the JPEPA as the private sector will be directly involved if the deal pushes through.

“We are counting on Cebu, especially that there are good number of Japanese firms here and furniture industry,” said Ryan Patrick Evangelista executive director of Universal Access to Competitiveness and Trade (U-ACT), which is one of the strong supporters of the JPEPA ratification from the private sector.

Intal said JPEPA could actually revive the attractiveness of dying industries like garments, automotive, semi-conductors/electronics, and furniture to the Japanese consumers.

While government negotiators continue the debate against the Senate whether to junk or pursue the JPEPA, the private-sector group led by U-ACT, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), PhilExport, among others are currently going around the country to hold regional consultations with different industry stakeholders, including the labor sector, on issues concerning JPEPA.

Cebu Investments and Promotions Center (CIPC) managing director Joel Mari Yu, for his part, said JPEPA could address local issues including matters such as requiring Filipino nurses to take licensure exams in Nihonggo, issues on legal importation of vehicle parts manufactured here as “multicabs”, and issues that hampered Japanese investors from putting up retirement villages here.

Yu said the Philippine law that disallows foreign medical doctors from practicing here discouraged Japanese investors from collaborating with local capitalists for retirement village investments.

Signed September of last year by the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, JPEPA aims to facilitate and promote free trans-border flow of goods, persons, services and capital between the Philippines and Japan, and strengthen the existing economic relations between the two countries.

However, this possible pact has been scrutinized by the Senate and other labor groups led by the Junk JPEPA Coalition pointing out the loopholes of the deal that is deemed disadvantageous to the Philippines. JPEPA has given the Senate and the labor groups the impression that it will allow the entry to the Philippines of Japanese toxic wastes.

According to Intal, there is a need for the private sector players, including the moderate labor group to fully understand the intentions of the economic partnership with Japan and its advantages for the Philippines.

For one, he mentioned that without the JPEPA, more and more industries will become uncompetitive, as other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and others are pursuing their zero tariff agreement with Japan.

Each industry concerns will be addressed properly, Intal said a comprehensive research on the assessment of industry players regarding JPEPA will be represented before the Senate committee in the next few weeks.