"JPEPA: Boon or Bane for Filipinos?" Is KK! Talk Show Topic

on DZRH -AM radio, on Aug. 6, 2008, Wed., @ 7:30 p.m. (Manila Time)

The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) is aimed at "liberalizing and enlarging trade and investment" between Japan and the Philippines, "while establishing a legal framework" for an interdependent partnership.  Twenty leading professional and business organizations, including the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), have expressed support for the ratification of the JPEPA, due to what their leaders see as positive economic impact of JPEPA on the country. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies has also concluded that the JPEPA will be good for the economy.

But, civil-society organizations are asking: Which country? Whose economy? They argue that the JPEPA is grossly disadvantageous to Filipinos and to the Philippine economy and environment. So while business leaders are calling for the ratification of the JPEPA now, NGO leaders are calling for its cancellation. At the least, they request that the JPEPA be subjected first "to stakeholder consultations and debates both in public fora and on the Senate floor" before further action is taken on it.

Kalikasan, Kaunlaran! (KK!), DZRH -AM radio, will address that request on August 6, 2008, Wed., 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a talakayan featuring Dr. Nina Galang, Coordinator, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Energy;  Ms Ester Perez de Tagle, Founding Chair, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution (COCAP);  Julian Amador, Director, Environment Management Bureau; and Richard Gutierrez, Director, Basel Action Network, Asia-Pacific. Dr. Cora Claudio, President, EARTH Institute Asia, will moderate the discussion.

Tune in and understand the issues and the pro/con arguments on the JPEPA ratification. Submit your questions, comments, and recommendations on the topic. A few of them will be read on air and all will be submitted to officials in the public and private sectors who are involved in the JPEPA ratification process.

Some NGOs argue that the JPEPA is grossly disadvantageous to the Philippine economy and environment. Business leaders are calling for the ratification of the JPEPA. NGO leaders are calling for its cancellation. Many leaders request that the JPEPA be subjected first "to stakeholder consultations and debates both in public fora and on the Senate floor"

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KK! is co-produced by EARTH Institute Asia, Inc. and DZRH , with the cooperation of the MAP, GREEN Army, PFST, TOWNS, PBE, AIJC, PEIA, DENR, MabuhayRadio.com, SanibLakas,  various egroups, and  others. It is at 666 kHz in Metro Manila and at other kHzs in other areas nationwide. It is globally accessible through http://dzrh.tripod.com or www.mabuhayradio.com (click DZRH )

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