Cosalan wants review of trade agreements

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A legislator wants concerned national government agencies and the House of Representatives to review all bilateral trade agreements entered into by the previous administrations with other developed countries so that appropriate safety nets will be introduced for the protection of thousands of vegetable farmers from the different parts of the province.

Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan, a senior member of the Liberal Party, said agriculture stakeholders from different parts of the country have been questioning the wisdom of numerous bilateral agreements entered by the Arroyo administration with other countries, saying local farmers felt serious negative impact of the influx of imported and smuggled agricultural crops in the country the past years.

According to Cosalan, the implementation of the bilateral agreements is part of the full implementation of the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade–World Trade Organization (GATT-WTO).