This paper explores trade options for the Philippines in the
Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. We do not
purport to be exhaustive in identifying a wide range of
alternatives nor do we claim to have the best ideas about the
stance the country should take in the Negotiations.
The specific objectives of this paper are: (a) to review the
trade experience of the Philippines; (b) to indicate some policy
options in the context of the Uruguay Round; (c) to describe the
products or markets which have apparent i m p o r t a n c e t o the
Philippines in the present Round/ the priorities the country can
take, and the new issues that will be covered in the Round; and
(d) to suggest some strategies which can be pursued by the
Philippines in the Round.
In order to provide the perspective within which the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Uruguay Round must
be viewed, the next sector briefly reviews the trade experience
of the Philippines, focusing mainly on the evolution of the trade
structure and trade performance over time. Section 3
subsequently discusses GATT and the Philippine's role in it,
particularly in the last round of multilateral negotiations.
Section 4 zeroes in on the Uruguay Round, why it is important for the Philippines, what the Philippines' priorities in the Round
should be, what political coalitions the Philippines is
participating in and what new issues are included in the Round
and how Philippine interests are affected by these. The
following section outlines an agenda for the negotiations under
the Uruguay Round, highlighting options and strategies. Section
6 concludes the paper
