As the Senate is set to conduct public hearings on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), a newly formed group composed of legislators, researchers and community leaders denounced the JPEPA’s ill-effects on agriculture.
BY IBON Foundation
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 40, November 11-17, 2007
Members of No Deal! JPEPA, a movement against unequal economic agreements, slammed the effects on agriculture of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
In its petition posted at http://www.petitiononline/NoDeal/petition.hml, the No Deal! JPEPA said, “Farmers and agricultural workers stand to suffer even more from contract-growing arrangements with transnational agri-business corporations. Land use conversion will also affect domestic food production. Domestic fisheries sector will have no protection from the entry of Japanese fishing vessels which will be allowed to fish in our waters.”
Arnold Padilla, spokersperson of No Deal! JPEPA, said, “Only transnational agri-business corporations will benefit from JPEPA. With a backward agriculture lacking in subsidy and deprived of technology, ordinary farmers and farm workers have no capacity to export their produce to Japan. Moreover, under contract-growing scheme, farmers and farm workers are forced to shoulder the expenses in production and yet, transnational corporations buy their produce at very low prices.”
Padilla also deplored reports of pesticide poisoning in fruit plantations and nearby communities. “While every banana or pineapple is being taken cared of, farm workers are neglected and abused.” The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP or Peasant Movement of the Philippines) recorded cases of poisoning in Lapanday Holdings, Inc.
He said that Filipino fisherfolk are likely to go hungry if Japanese corporations will be given unhampered access to the country’s marine resources. A study by fisherfolk group Pamalakaya shows that a 3,000 single-ton Japanese factory ship, accompanied by support fishing fleets, can generate 150 metric tons of tuna on a 24-hour operation.
The convenors of No Deal! JPEPA are former Vice President Teofisto Guingona; former Senator Wigberto Tañada; Anakpawis Reps. Crispin Beltran and Rafael Mariano; Nitz Gonzaga of KMP; Fernando Hicap of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May First Movement); Pamalakaya; Dr. Carol Pagaduan-Araullo of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance); Jossel Ebesate, R.N., of Alliance of Health Workers (AHW); Connie Bragas-Regalado of Migrante; Clemente Bautista Jr. of Kalikasan People’s Network; Rechielda Extremadura of Lila Filipina; Arman Albarillo of Bayan-Southern Tagalog; Roy Velez of Bayan-NCR; Toyota Workers Union President Ed Cubelo; and IBON Foundation’s Padilla and Sonny Africa. IBON Foundation/ Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
