Left Flank

Resurrection has come for Japan-RP free trade in the form of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, or JPEPA.

It looks as if anti-FTA forces struck too soon, and now even President Gloria Arroyo-Macapagal's support can't dent its aura. Senate President Manuel Villar cannot amend the treaty into palatable bites. Senators Santiago's measured support and Roxas' flip for JPEPA also seem to seal the deal.

At the risk of sounding trite and pedantic at the same time (because economics is about as much fun as calculus and dental surgery combined), but, notwithstanding, that bilateral deals often do proceed advances in multilateral trade rounds, bilateral FTAs are little more than shining a light on the private sector and its lobbies for brief moments. Voters can see how the feeding frenzy that usually ensues hidden in yawn-inducing plain view in government offices and outside of chambers. So, JPEPA is a rare chance for voters to take a little revenge, but not much. That said, it's not an economic victory, but rather GAM's swansong.

I'm almost certain Smith and Ricardo would agree. that a free-trade agreement that includes a provision about dumping hazardous waste, is not a win-win situation.

At Thursday?s hearing, groups opposed to the treaty even managed to impress Ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon.

Siazon commended Junk JPEPA lawyer Golda Benjamin for her ?excellent, thorough, articulate and well-researched? arguments that the treaty would promote the entry into the Philippines of toxic and other hazardous waste from Japan.

Under JPEPA, the tariff rates for hazardous waste would be reduced to zero.

Siazon, who flew back to Tokyo after the hearing, said the Philippines needed the support of a ?technologically advanced? country like Japan to deal with its own hazardous waste.

Health Undersecretary Alexander Padilla, meanwhile, stunned the senators when he disproved the Department of Environment and Natural Resources? claim that Japan would not export hazardous waste to the Philippines.

Padilla said the Department of Health had ?concerns? that the treaty would allow for reciprocity, meaning that both the Philippines and Japan could export hazardous waste to each other.

?While we agree with the noble objectives of the JPEPA, we feel we do live in an imperfect world,? he said.

That's an understatement, indeed!