Working draft on PH-Vietnam rice trade agreement is almost done

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday that there is already a working draft for the rice trade agreement with Vietnam, which will help ensure the rice supply in the Philippines. At a Palace press briefing, Laurel was asked for an update on the rice trade agreement between the Philippines and Vietnam. ''From what I understand, there is no real agreement in that Indonesian meeting but there was... no agreement signed meaning... but there was an agreement to draft the MOA or MOU and we were given instructions, when we were in the ASEAN meeting in Japan, by the President to draft, finalize the MOA with Vietnam,'' the Agriculture chief said. ''So that pagdating ng trip this coming end of January, state visit to Vietnam, mapirmahan na and we have the working draft na, almost done na (So it can be signed during the state visit to Vietnam this coming end of January. We have a working, it is almost done),'' Laurel added, mentioning the President's state visit to ...