Domestic manufacturers reiterated their appeal to the Senate to pass the anti-smuggling bill first before it ratifies the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), stressing that the difficult economic situation calls for the protection of government revenues and local industries instead of trade facilitation.

The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) made the appeal after the RKC was approved at the level of the Senate committee on foreign relations early this week. The proposed anti-smuggling measure, on the other hand, is still in the hands of the technical working group at the Senate.

FPI president Jesus L. Arranza said ratifying the RKC will legally obligate the Philippines to pursue and adhere to the Customs standards as mandated by the amended International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures, within a given time frame.

“Every country that ratifies and accedes to the RKC must accept all the provisions of the Body of the Convention and the Standards of the General Annex without reservations and ensure that its national legislation are compliant with all these provisions and implemented within 36 months from date of accession,” Arranza said in his letter to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile dated Nov. 6, 2009.

Arranza sent the same letter to the other members of the Senate with the hope that they will be guided by it during plenary deliberations of the RKC.

“We hope the senators will not approve the committee report on the RKC at the plenary,” he said.