OSG Lawyers prepares for international trade agreements and treaty negotiations

            The OSG's participation aims to equip its lawyers in handling cases involving economic trade issues and international law, specifically the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Its participation will also widen the lawyers appreciation of trade agreements and treaties as they assist government agencies in determining legal and constitutional issues that may arise from trade agreements and treaties with partner countries.

            The PGTEP is a blended learning program that utilizes online learning and face-to-face workshops. The topics in the program acquaint the participants with the characteristics of the Philippine economy, the basic principles of trade economics, alternative views on trade, and the intersection of trade policy and development strategies. Participants are also given the chance to do industry studies, such as in the field of trade in agriculture, services, telecommunications and financial services, trade facilitation, national legislation and others.

            The Department of Trade and Industry, with the support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Economic Modernization through Efficient Reforms and Governance Enhancement (EMERGE), undertakes PGTEP as a capability building program of all stakeholders in process of crafting trade policy for the country. It is managed by GoVida Studios, a Filipino company committed to using eLearning for development.

            PGTEP 2 takes off from the successful completion of PGTEP 1, where some of the OSG lawyers also participated. The Philippine Global Trade eLearning Program Phase 1 ran from October 2005 to February 2007, with more than 300 participants from government, business, civil society and academe completing the 8 online courses and several face-to-face workshops.

            For PGTEP 2, the OSG lawyers interact with more than 200 participants/stakeholders coming from the government, business, academe and civil society. The first PGTEP 2 workshop was conducted last April 17-18, 2008 with participants tackling the introductory course on International Trade and the Philippines. Speakers were Professor Prime Rodriguez (Department of Economics, UP Los Banos), Dr. Florian Alburo (School of Economics, UP Diliman), Dr. Rene Ofreneo (Executive Director, Fair Trade Alliance), and Ms. Jessica Cantos (President, Action for Economic Reform).

            Last July 2-3, 2008, the second PGTEP workshop was held. After participants completed the elective courses on-line, they attended this two-day parallel workshops on their elective courses. For this workshop, the speakers were Mr. Angelo Salvador Benedictos (Assistant Director, Bureau of International Trade Relations, DTI), Atty. Gil de los Reyes (PGTEP Program Director), Dr. George Manzano, Ph.D. (University of Asia and the Pacific), Assistant Secretary Ramon Vicente T. Kabigting (DTI), Dr. Leonardo A. Gonzales (STRIVE Foundation), Dr. Segfredo R. Serrano, Ph.D (Undersecretary for Policy & Planning, R&D Department of Agriculture), Ms. Riza Bernabe (Centro Saka, Inc.), Undersecretary Edsel Custodio (DFA), Deputy Director-General Margarita Songco (NEDA), and Dr. Anthony Calibo (DOH, Program Manager, Medical Tourism).

            The following OSG lawyers participated in this program: ASG's Marissa B. dela Cruz-Galandines, Ellaine Rose A. Sanchez-Corro, Eric Remegio O. Panga, SSS's Nyriam Susan Sedillo-Hernandez, Edgardo R. Sison, Jane E. Yu, B. Marc A. Canuto, Myrna N. Agno, SS's Maricar S.A. Prudon-Sison, Manelyn E. Caturla, Josephine D. Arias, Lucy L. Butler, Jonathan M. Agnes, Melanie P. Pimentel, AS's Charisse G. Olalia, Victor Nicasio P. Torres, James M. Imbong, Hector G. Calilung, Margarita Eugenia F. Victorino, and Arnold Rimon Martinez. (By: Associate Solicitor Arnold Rimon Martinez, OSG Web Team)