The Department of Agriculture established the Committee on Trade under the National Agricultural and Fisheries Council and held it first official consultative meeting last September 14, 2005.

The meeting was called to formalize a joint government and private sector advisory committee that will provide our trade negotiators the true sentiments of stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

The establishment of the advisory committee was prompted by the recommendations of Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano to create a consultative mechanism within the Department of Agriculture with private sector representation to handle bilateral trade arrangements. Undersecretary Serrano also recommended the National Agricultural and Fisheries Council in lieu of its private sector representation with the regional councils and its nationwide participants in its National Sectoral Committees.

The proposal was prompted by the following factors:

1.“Congress has expressed concern not only for WTO but also for bilaterals during a recent hearing of the Special Committee on Globalization

2. Effectiveness & efficiency in any trade negotiation affects all sectors and political stakeholder support is very important.

3. Institutionalized mechanism will enable the stakeholders to be proactive in trade negotiation positioning and influencing DA’s trade policy; and

4. DA-Planning has only four people handling bilateral trade negotiation matters and DA and NAFC staff can work together on the negotiations and monitor commitments. ”

Undersecretary Serrano further recommended that the DA should set up its own international trade development office different from that of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Finance. The DA Trade Development Office will rationalize the foreign agriculture service and harness the stakeholders in the various sectors. This will also study the strengths and weaknesses of the country’s trade positioning as well as its competitors.

The Undersecretary however clarified that the negotiation function of the DA is not being ceded. The DA simply wants to institutionalize the participation of the various sectors, including multisectoral groups, in formulating positions in trade negotiations.

Chairman Gaby Uy himself represented the Federation and actively participated in the discussions, more specifically the issues on tariff lines concerning hogs and pork. He also suggested that the negotiating team should consider the strategy of using agricultural inputs as listed under List B of Executive Order 376. These items are tradable goods whose tariff can be reduced, MAV commodities to be classified as sensitive products, and pork to be considered highly sensitive product.

During the meeting the participants elected Mr. Raul Montemayor as Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Tony Roces as Vice-Chairman for the private sector and recommended OIC Director Noel Padre as Vice Chairman for the government sector. The Committee will function like a sectoral group under the National Agricultural and Fisheries Council.

The Federation will be officially represented by its corporate secretary. However, all members are welcome and encouraged to participate in all committee meetings which will be regularly announced in this website.