ECONOMISTS ASSESS TRADE DEAL: JPEPA could spur growth, cut poverty

Economists offer a different view, saying that the deal has sufficient provisions to protect the environment and prevent any illegal trade in toxic waste. Besides, there are existing import controls and regulations on trade in hazardous waste. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies says that the deal could spur economic growth and reduce poverty incidence in the country because it includes measures that seek to bring about the smooth movement of people, capital and information that go beyond the traditional trade in goods and services.