WHAT IS JPEPA?
Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement is the most important bilateral economic agreement the Philippines has entered into in the last 50 years.
It is a bilateral economic relationship and investment agreement between the Philippines and Japan. It aims to develop significant trade and investment opportunities with the world’s second largest economy. It is viewed to strengthen the economic cooperation between the two countries to facilitate and promote the free trans-border flow of goods, persons, services and capital.
JPEPA also aims to provide protection of intellectual property rights, controlling anti-competitive activities, improvement of the business environment as well as cooperation in fields of mutual interest, such as human resource development, financial services, information and communications technology, energy and environment, science and technology, trade and investment promotion, small and medium enterprises, tourism, transportation, and road development.
BACKGROUND
JPEPA was signed by President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo with then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last September 9, 2006 in Helsinki, Finland. The Philippine government proceeded to sign the JPEPA despite very little public consultation and information.
Environmentalists and the rest of the civil society are saying that it has become apparent that the JPEPA is going to be a bad deal for the Philippines. “The JPEPA’s implementation would surrender the economy and its resources to the needs and profits of Japanese corporate monopolies at the expense of Filipinos’ livelihoods, welfare and national patrimony. The ultimate result will be to condemn the Philippines to chronic backwardness and to deny millions of Filipinos decent livelihoods i ...