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Pinoy Abroad

Chiz: Jpepa balot ng lihim, mahihirapang maipasa sa Senado

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Nangako si Senator Francis Joseph Escudero na haharangin ang ratipikasyon ng Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) sa Senado dahil ang nasabing kasunduan ay nababalot sa lihim.

Ayon sa baguhang senador, hindi dapat maging masyadong kampante ang Malacañang na magtutuloy tuloy lamang ang kasunduan hanggang sa Senado.

"JPEPA cannot breeze through Senate principally because of the manner by which this treaty was conceived. The entire deal was shrouded in secrecy," pahayag ni Escudero.

Sinabi na ni Presidential Political Adviser Gabriel Claudio kamakailan na malaki ang pag-asa na maaaprubahan ng Senado ang kasunduan dahil sa kanyang “relevance and urgency."

Isa ang JPEPA sa priority bills ng Malacañang na pag-uusapan sa kauna-unahang Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council ng ika-14 na sesyon ng Kongreso bukas.

Iginiit ni Escudero na nabigo ang gobyerno na gumawa ng homework nito sa pagkonsulta sa mga maaaring maapektuhan bago pumasok sa kasunduan.

"A treaty is of public interest and concern. Therefore it should be open to public scrutiny. However, there was little information available on how JPEPA was conceived, hiding the fundamental problems that are now getting critical contradictions from various sectors," paliwanag niya.

Ayon sa senador, ang JPEPA ay nilagdaan noong nakaraang taon sa Helsinki at hindi kaagad na inilabas sa publiko ang dokumento, dahilan upang hilingin ng party-list group na Akbayan sa Korte Suprema na ipalabas ang kopya nito.

"JPEPA is being hounded by controversy for its maze of unfair and undemocratic agreements and negotiations that run counter to our economic, political and social policies."

Binanggit ni Escudero ang isang pag-aaral ng Asian Development Bank na nagsabing hindi makabubuti sa karamihan sa mga ekonomiya sa Asya ang kasunduan sa Japan.

Katulad ng South Korea, naging mapili ang Japan sa kanilang FTA dahil naghahanap ito ng kasunduan na magiging mas makabubuti sa kanilang panig.

Isang halimbawa nito ay ang pagtanggal ng dalawang produkto ng Pilipinas sa pagbabayad ng taripa sa Japan samantalang protektado ang 239 ng mga produkto nito sa bansa.

"I don't think they can blame the Senate for taking this opposition against the JPEPA because if only they did their job of consulting and explaining then it would be a positive and favorable voice and vote that we, as representatives of the people, would be putting forth," sabi niya. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
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