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Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Delay in RP-Japan pact signing to hurt economic opportunities
The signing of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) largely depends on the Philippine government’s “seriousness” to enter into it after a series of negotiations that started last year.
“There’s too much delay,” said Shinichiro Kato of the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) Expert Service Abroad for Improving Business Environments said in an interview yesterday.
Philippine government officials are hoping that the Jpepa will be signed this year, in time for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Philippines-Japan diplomatic ties.
The Jpepa, an economic agreement that aims to strengthen the economic ties between the two countries, was conceived during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Philippines in January 2002.
Kato told Sun.Star Cebu the automobile sector is one of the industries that will benefit from the signing of the agreement because it will usher in more automobile manufacturers to invest in the Philippines.
50 years
“This year is important for both the Philippines and Japan as we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic rela-tionship...Cebu can take advantage of this by promoting its products and services to the Japanese market,” he said.
He added that the Philippines should be as aggressive as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam in capturing the Japanese market, he said.
He stressed that information technology (IT), tourism and furniture are among the top sectors that Cebu can capitalize on.
“But we fear that the popularity of the IT profession would decline not just in Cebu but also in the country due to the huge demand for health workers in other countries,” he said.
But he said the future for IT professionals is still bright and attractive. (ALC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 10, 2006 issue)
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