US government open to helping Phl be part of Trans Pacific trade zone

MANILA, Philippines -  The US government is open to helping the Philippines be a part of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a move that is expected to promote better trade with the US and the other member countries of the TPP.

“It’s premature to say but obviously they want to help us,” Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said in an interview after his meeting with members of the US Trade Representative Office (USTR) and the US Embassy.

Representatives from the USTR and the US Embassy yesterday visited the Department of Trade and Industry to discuss among other things, the TPP.

Domingo said they discussed the TPP and what the Philippines can do to move along the process. He said there will be a number of discussions and there must be bilateral meetings with other member countries in order to discuss the membership of the Philippines.

Domingo said that the Philippines needs to make more changes before we can be a part of the TPP. He identified constitutional and legal limitations as some of the major concerns.

In order to join the TPP, the country must be invited but the Philippines still has not been invited.

In an earlier interview, Domingo said that the TPP agreement requires the government to strengthen its laws on human rights, child labor, environmental protection and property rights. “We have to do a lot of work,” he said.

He noted that joining the TPP is a long process, but what is important for now is that the Philippines has made known its intentions, and informal talks with the group have begun.

The TPP, created in 2006 by Singapore, New Zealand and Chile, aims to promote regionwide economic cooperation. Malaysia participated in the TPP negotiation round that took place in October in Brunei. Of the TPP nations, the United States currently has free trade agreements with Australia, Chile, Peru and Singapore.