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Published July 20, 2021, 10:45 AM
International think tank Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) has backed the Philippine government on its stand at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and harmful fisheries subsidies.
Motorized outriggers rest on the shore of a coastal village in Davao City. (Photo via Keith Bacongco / FILE PHOTO)
On Tuesday, SEARCA Director and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Gregorio issued his official comments and notes regarding the revised draft of the consolidated chair text on WTO’s negotiating group on rules, particularly on fisheries subsidies.
“Recognizing the importance of conserving coastal and marine resources, as further emphasized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14: Life below water), we support the call that, ‘no member shall grant or maintain any subsidy to a vessel or operator engaged in IUU fishing’,” said Gregorio.
Published July 19, 2021, 2:31 PM
The Philippine government was told to assert its position at the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding harmful subsidies that bigger countries like China provide their commercial fleets, resulting in overfishing and encroaching in disputed waters.
This, since China alone gives out P325 billion in fisheries subsidies, enabling its fleet to encroach even in disputed waters such as in the Philippines, Norberto Chingcuanco, co-convenor at food security advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan, said in a virtual briefing.
During the same briefing, Tugon Kabuhayan Convenor and former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) National Director Asis Perez said that the Philippines should not allow for negotiations at WTO to end without having to address the harmful subsidies that bigger nations have been distributing among their fleet.
Published May 14, 2021, 3:40 PM
The country’s food producers – farmers, fishermen, and livestock raisers – are now facing the worst crisis in years.
This was declared by United Broiler Raisers’ Association (UBRA) President Bong Inciong during the Farmers and Fisherfolks Congress on Friday. According to Inciong, the country’s food producers are now experiencing the worst crisis in years amid the pandemic due to several factors, such as “decades of government neglect, the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic, and pro-importation policies of the government.”
(MB file, Keith Bacongco)
“We are now paying the price for the long-term neglect of the sector. The economy and our people would not be as badly hit if agri-fisheries were in a better place [prior to the pandemic],” Inciong said.
Several groups have decided to boycott the government’s upcoming National Food Security Summit, which they believe will not be able to address the problems currently hounding the agriculture sector.
At the same time, these groups are questioning the line-up of resource speakers in the summit