WTO urged to hold talks on services sector liberalization

The Philippines should take the lead in pushing for talks within the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the liberalization of the services sector, top officials of an educational institution said yesterday.

"We should take the lead in pushing for the liberalization of the services sector," STI Education Services Group chairman Felipe B. Alfonso and STI president and chief executive officer Eusebio H. Tanco said.

Tanco pointed out that the Philippines currently has the edge in providing educated and highly-skilled manpower resources and should, therefore, take the lead in pushing for more access for the services sector.

Tanco criticized highly developed countries which, while pushing for increased liberalization in the trade and investment sectors, are not as willing to open up their services sector so that countries like the Philippines can export their manpower resources.

Manpower development, Tanco said, could even be the country’s sunrise industry, provided that greater effort will be exerted in providing quality education and training.

The STI Education Services Group, realizing the potentials of education and manpower training, is investing P500 million to upgrade and expand its education services here in the country and abroad.

In fact, STI said it is more bent on expanding its presence abroad.

Chito B. Salazar, the newly designated president of STI International, said "STI is not merely interested having a mere presence in several countries. STI is more interested in replicating its success even in just a number of countries."

Among the countries where STI is expanding is Indonesia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.

STI is also trying to establish its presence in the US and China.

"STI is in the process of acquiring two schools in San Francisco and Los Angeles," Salazar said.