Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said that the Japan-Philippines
Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) will have a
good chance of being ratified by the Senate if Tokyo
will categorically declare that it will not allow the
export or transfer of toxic industrial waste to the
Philippines.
Pimentel said that during a brief visit to Tokyo a few
days ago, he learned about the plan of the Japanese
government to issue a clarificatory protocol that will
settle the issue on hazardous waste, which is a
principal concern of the senators on the agreement.
He said the clarificatory protocol will supposedly
provide that:
1. Japan will abide by Philippine laws prohibiting the
dumping of wastes into the country; and
2. Japan will declare that it respects the Basel
Convention that binds signatory-countries not to allow
the disposal of wastes to other countries.
Pimentel said that if Japan will proceed with the
issuance of the clarificatory protocol, senators who
had reservations about the Jpepa will no longer object
to the ratification of the accord.
If they will make a firm commitment to respect our
laws against environmental pollution, I see no reason
why the JPEPA cannot get the Senates approval, he
said, unless there are other basic defects.
Pimentel said he acknowledges the importance of this
landmark economic agreement in terms of expanding the
economic bilateral trade and Japanese investments in
the Philippines and the entry of Filipino doctors,
nurses, caregivers and other health professionals to
Japan.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to Davao Today for publication. Please email your materials to davaotoday@gmail.com. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of Davao Today and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.
