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Philippines

FTA with US premature at this time, says Santos
21-Mar-2005
Trade and Industry Secretary Juan B. Santos sees no need to rush a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States. According to Santos, an FTA with the US at this time may even be "premature."
US-RP free trade pact a blow to economic sovereignty
21-Mar-2005 IBON
IBON calls on the Arroyo government to discontinue any negotiation on the proposed bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with the US, saying that the free trade pact is a blow to economic sovereignty and would bring the economy back to the era of the Bell Trade Act, which has stunted the Philippine economy to its pre-industrial level.
No rush in free-trade deal with US - DTI
21-Mar-2005 Manila Bulletin
Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Juan B. Santos said there is no rush in the proposed bilateral free-trade agreement with the US noting the country’s trade with the US is slowly losing steam while gaining markets elsewhere particularly, ASEAN, Japan and Greater China.
US urges Philippines to sign FTA
17-Mar-2005 AFP
US Assistant Trade Representative Barbara Weisel urged the Philippines to sign a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington to boost its underperforming economy and keep it globally competitive.
Free trade agreements
27-Feb-2005 BusinessWorld
The formation of free-trade agreements (FTA) has become a worldwide trend in recent decades. The Philippines, in particular, is showing interest in a slew of trade agreements.
JPEPA: More Japanese investments, trade opportunities seen
23-Feb-2005 Philippine Star
More Japanese investments and trade opportunities are expected to pour into the Philippines following a recent visit from one of Japan’s biggest trade groups - the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) - and the forthcoming realization of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.
De Venecia proposes Phil-Korean trade partnership accord
18-Feb-2005 Manila Bulletin
Philippine Speaker Jose de Venecia has proposed to South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae Chan and Speaker of Parliament Kim Won Ki the opening of negotiations for a Philippine-Korean Economic Partnership Agreement that would lead to large-scale investments, trade, and technology transfer to the country.
Japan may accept more workers from Thailand
14-Feb-2005 Japan Times
The Japanese government is considering allowing in more Thai workers by relaxing employment conditions for cooks, masseurs and caregivers under a proposed free-trade agreement.
Germany’s Fraport flexes muscle
13-Feb-2005 Philippine Star
Fraport AG of Germany has decided to flex its diplomatic muscle in pressing for immediate compensation from the Philippine government for their investment in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Passenger Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) project, under the 1997 Philippine-German bilateral investment treaty.
Great on paper, hard to execute
7-Feb-2005 ABS-CBN
In a recent discussion on the prospects for a Philippines-US FTA organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Romeo G. Borillo, the country’s trade representative in Washington DC, refused to divulge details of the proposed agreement.
Japan, Philippines agree to speed up work to sign FTA
4-Feb-2005 Kyodo
Japan and the Philippines have agreed to speed up work to sign a bilateral free trade agreement and compared notes over Japan’s plan to tightening immigration control over Philippine nationals.
Stop the mad pursuit of bilateral free trade and economic partnership agreements!
26-Jan-2005 IMC QC
We - farmers, fisherfolks, rural women, workers from the formal and informal sectors, and NGOs belonging to the Stop the New Round! Coalition - express our strong opposition to the Philippines government’s mad pursuit of bilateral free trade agreements particularly with Japan, China and the USA.
Groups say the govt to lose P16.9B in revenues
26-Jan-2005 ABS-CBN
Two members of the Philippine House of Representatives are pushing for a congressional inquiry into the bilateral trade and investments agreements entered into by the government, which did not go through proper public consultations despite their far-reaching impact on the economy as well as the provisions of the Constitution.
Tokyo in push on trade deals
17-Jan-2005
Japan will push to conclude a basic bilateral trade agreement with Thailand and Malaysia within the next few months, according to a senior trade official, who denied suggestions from a member of his own ministry that talks with those two countries had stalled.
Twelve-country report on FTAs
15-Dec-2004 ANN
A report on the status of FTA fever in 12 Asian countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Sino-Asean free trade pact a bane to RP, says Ibon
12-Dec-2004
An economic research group warned an upcoming free trade agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Nations will have adverse effects on the country’s economy.
Japan, Philippines FTA shows foreign worker hurdles
7-Dec-2004 Reuters AlterNet
Japan and the Philippines on Monday clinched a broad free trade agreement (FTA) that would include letting a trickle of nurses into Japan to help cope with a shortage.
Driving a hard bargain: Trade agreements easier said than done
24-Nov-2004 Asahi
Japan is proving a tough negotiator for countries with their hopes pinned on FTAs.
Japan, Philippines reach FTA accord
20-Nov-2004 Japan Times
Japan and the Philippines reached a basic agreement for a bilateral free-trade agreement after striking a deal on the stickiest issue — steel tariffs.
ASEAN-Korea free trade talks set to start
8-Nov-2004
Negotiations on the proposed ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) is expected to commence next year as ASEAN and Korean leaders are seen to favorably endorse the recommendations at the forthcoming ASEAN-Korea Summit this month.