British chamber: Charter change to bring quicker reforms

Charter change (Cha-cha) mover People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (Pirma) denies allegations of buying the signatures it’s been gathering for constitutional reform. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) on Monday said it supported moves in Congress to amend the 1987 Constitution, on grounds that charter change (cha-cha) will liberalize the country’s economy faster than legislating individual laws going forward.

“Overall, I think you can do it piecemeal. But, of course, the charter change would bring in a much quicker response,” BCCP executive director Chris Nelson said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

“And in that context, I would say, we are always advocating to companies to come do business in the Philippines. It’s an attractive market, but it’s also a gateway to Southeast Asia, and anything that can move and further liberate the economy will be supported,” he added.

Specific provisions that the BCCP wants to see amended include the foreign investment negative list as well as the 60-40 equity rule on owning a business that favors Filipino-owned companies.

Moves to amend the Constitution gained ground after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri filed a Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 (RBH6) on Monday, proposing amendments to certain economic provisions of the Constitution.

Opposition

But the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), a coalition of farmers and indigenous peoples, is firmly opposed to moves to amend the 1987 Constitution, saying it would open up the country’s public lands to full foreign ownership, threatening the livelihood and food security of millions of Filipinos.

The group fears that amendments will remove the restrictions on foreign ownership of land, property, franchises, schools, media, and public utilities.

This will lead to the “wanton plunder” of the country’s land and natural resources by foreign corporations, which will exploit them for profit, KMP claimed.

The group also said that allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of land would displace and evict millions of farmers and indigenous peoples from their ancestral domains.

According to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, there are about 14.2 million hectares of public lands that are alienable and disposable, meaning they can be transferred or sold.

“Instead of devoting our land and resources for the genuine development of our agriculture, economy, and industries, cha-cha will allow more foreign-owned mining, logging, tourism, real estate, and plantation projects,” the group said.

KMP said on Monday that the Foreign Investor Long-Term Lease Act, which allows foreign investors to lease private lands for up to 50 years, was already detrimental to the interests of the farmers and indigenous peoples, what more full ownership by foreign interests.

KMP chair Danilo Ramos said: “Land agents will take the lead in land acquisition, land purchase, land banking, and land sales.”

Ramos added that this would mean more widespread eviction of peasants and natives, imposition of higher land rents, more losses for farmers, cessation of farming, land-use change, and dissolution of agricultural livelihoods.