THE PHILIPPINES does not need the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement to boost jobs, a labor group told a Senate committee on Tuesday, citing the lack of progress in RCEP’s promise to generate 1.4 million jobs by 2030.

“With or without RCEP, we can generate 1.4 million jobs with the proper policies,” Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa Secretary-General Josua T. Mata told senators at a hearing.

“The promise is so small and yet it’s so concerning that we don’t even have a report on the jobs generated with RCEP that we agreed on.”

Labor Undersecretary Felipe N. Egargo, Jr. said the trade deal has yet to yield new jobs for the country. — John Victor D. Ordoñez