Philippine tuna firms irked
Ongoing trade talks between the United States and Thailand have alarmed Philippine tuna-industry officials.
Domingo Teng, president of General Santos City-based TSP Marine Industry and one of the most respected figures in the Philippine tuna industry, said Thailand was asking the United States for duty-free entry of its tuna exports.Teng said if the United States agreed to Thailand's request, the Philippine tuna industry would eventually die, because it would make Philippine exports more expensive. The US slaps a 12.5-per-cent tariff on tuna products from the Philippines. "We urge the government to lobby for the same" concession proposed by Thailand, he said. The tuna industry in General Santos City exports US$280 million (Bt9.7 billion) worth of tuna every year. It produces 500 metric tonnes of tuna annually, representing more than 10 per cent of the world's fish-catch volume, Teng said. There are about 800,000 workers in the tuna industry, mainly in General Santos City, he said. These workers deposit 12 billion Philippine pesos (Bt8.63 billion) a year in banks, he added. Under-secretary Virgilio Leyretana of the Mindanao Economic Development Council said the government would explore ways to protect the tuna industry.
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