Sotto doubts Senate will be able to ratify RCEP in 18th Congress

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday raised doubts that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be approved by the body before the 18th Congress adjourns next week.

Senators will have only a few days to examine the massive trade deal before Congress adjourns on June 3.

"I doubt it, but we will [be] ready if the committee discusses it," Sotto said in a text message when asked if the trade agreement could be scheduled for debate next week.

He also said he believes the RCEP "needs further interpellations and review."

Senate foreign relations committee chairperson Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said they are already preparing for the plenary debates.

“Ang trabaho ko (my job) is to be ready to defend the treaty because my committee endorsed it to the plenary (after [President Rodrigo Duterte] endorsed it to the Senate),” Pimentel said in a message shared to reporters.

“Monday naka-[schedule] (It is scheduled for Monday) as far as I know. And we are trying our best to prepare for it,” he added.

On Thursday, President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the Philippines’ farm sector should be in a competitive position before the country enters into another trade agreement.

Marcos also said he wants to look at how the RCEP will impact the country’s agriculture sector.

Senator Francis Tolentino, an ally of the incoming president, backed Marcos' stance on the RCEP, saying the next administration should be given a chance to review the agreement.

“I agree with BBM (Marcos) dapat pag-aralan mabuti (We should study it further.) You can look at the transcript of debate. I raised several concerns. Let’s give [the] new administration a chance to review RCEP  - lalong lalo ang tungkol sa agrikultura (especially its effects on agriculture),” he said.

The RCEP, a trade accord that involves the 10-member ASEAN along with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, was approved by the Palace in September last year and brought to the Senate for concurrence.

Treaties or international agreements entered into by the government require Senate concurrence.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the RCEP is expected to generate a 10.47% increase in the country’s exports and 2.02% increase in real gross domestic product.

The DTI said rice and other agricultural products are protected from tariff reductions and eliminations under the RCEP. 

Some experts, however, have objected to the trade deal, warning of risks to local industries. —VBL, GMA News