Ratifying JPEPA is not “hara-kiri” for Filipinos
Submitted by KMU on Mon, 2007-10-08 14:41. :: English News

Jobs to be massacred more and local business shutting down

 

“The ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economics Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) means the Philippines committing hara-kiri but without the accompanying honor it brings. Our economy will be disemboweled, jobs will be massacred and local businesses shutting down to promote the economic interest of Japanese big business.”

This was the statement today by Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center warning of the intense ill-effects of the JPEPA on workers and small business as the Senate conducts it last hearing on the controversial agreement before recess. “In Japanese culture, hara-kiri or seppuku is a ritualized suicide through disembowelment done by those who follow Bushido to regain one's honor. But in our case, entering into JPEPA is simply suicide,” said Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the KMU.

According to the Labog, dumping of goods covered by the JPEPA will mean jobs loss for Filipino workers. “The entry of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization (WTO) meant the flooding of cheap imported goods which our workers and local business were already creating. Since the goods were cheaper, thousands of workers were laid-off in the process of small companies failure to compete. The entry of the Philippines into a new agreement with Japan to eliminate tariffs and duties would mean another wave of cheap goods entering our shores and lay-offs and business closures.”

“Even the much-hyped employment of nurses into Japan, supposed providing thousands of our health workers jobs would only be marginal since the requirements for health workers entering Japan is so steep. The continued adherence of the of the Arroyo regime to exporting our workers to keep the economy afloat runs counter to national development and more specifically, to the recommendations of the World Health Organization to immediately arrest the massive exodus of our health workers through increase in their pay,” said Labog.

“Japanese firms operating in the country have notorious records when it comes to trade union rights. The case of Toyota workers where the Toyota management refused to recognize the union despite decisions by the Supreme Court in favor of the workers is a stark reminder how this Japanese firms 'respect' our laws. Another is the case of Ajinomoto workers who were sacked without proper warnings and given just 3 days to accept the offer of the management,” clarified Labog.

The labor leader also mentioned the case of the workers in banana plantations in Mindanao. “Workers in banana plantation under the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa OsMiguel (NAMAOS), Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa San Jose (NAMASAN), Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Suyapa Farms (NAMASUFA) and Maragusan United Workers Union (MUWU) are all suffering from low wages, inhuman working conditions and contractualization. They were all also accused of being fronts of the New People's Army by the military and threatened to suffer more harm until they stop their union activities. Last December 15, 2006, the union president of NAMASUFA along with other workers were ambushed on their way to work killing one worker and 3 suffering non-fatal wounds,” stated Labog. NAMASUFA is the union of workers of Packing Plant 90 owned by the Japanese-transnational Fresh Bananas Agricultural Company (FBAC)-AJMR-Sumitomo Fruits Company (SUMIFRU).

 

Bananas is a big export of the Philippines to Japan and the Middle East. From January to September 2006, more than USD 300M worth of bananas were exported outside the country and the major destination was Japan. Bananas remain the top export of the Philippines to Japan.