Economic Cha-cha ‘anti-Filipino,’ says solon

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares (middle) gestures in this file photo during a session in Congress. Colmenares is branding the proposed changes in the Constitution as ‘anti-Filipino.’ LYN RILLON/INQUIRER

A lawmaker on Tuesday denounced the pending economic Charter change (Cha-cha) bill in Congress, which is set for a third and final vote on Wednesday, saying his colleagues from the majority side intentionally deleted “pro-Filipino” provisions.

In a statement, Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Colmenares said relaxing the country’s foreign ownership policies would “worsen poverty in the country.”

“They actually and stealthily deleted pro-Filipino provisions during the second reading of the bill,” said Colmenares.

“They deleted the provision under Art. XIV, Sec. 4 requiring Congress ‘to increase Filipino equity participation in all educational institutions,’ thereby ensuring foreign control of education. They also deleted, in essence,  the mandatory Constitutional requirement in Sec. 4 par. (2) that ‘control and administration of educational institutions shall be vested in Fiilipinos,’” he added.

The deputy minority floor leader said his fellow lawmakers did more than what they initially promised, which was only to insert the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the provision granting 60-40 percent ownership to Filipino and foreign investors, respectively.

It means that amendments on the economic provisions of the Constitution can be carried out with a simple legislation from both chambers of Congress and a plebiscite.

“Additionally, they also took out the power of Congress to require ‘higher percentage’ of Filipino ownership in Philippine businesses or corporations as mandated in Art. XII Sec. 10,” he said. “The Majority also gave away our public utilities to these foreigners and practically deleted the mandatory constitutional requirement under Sec. 11, Art. XII that ‘all executive and managing officers’ of public utilities and franchises must be held by Filipino citizens.”

Colmenares said “obsession with foreign investors” would not yield development but would instead lead to a “bankrupt economy.”

“By further opening up the economy to foreigners through Cha-cha, Congress condemns the Filipino people to eternal poverty,” he said. “Filipinos now and the future generation will not be able to afford a land of their own and inherit a bankrupt economy.”

Maintaining that Cha-cha should not be passed, Colmenares instead urged the government to invest more on industrialization programs as an alternative economic program.

“The best economic strategy is for government to provide capital and support to local businesses and create heavy industries like steel industry and medium industries in the manufacturing sector,” he said. “Allowing foreign companies into our economy did not work in the decades that it has been implemented and will not work in the future as it only leads to the destruction of our local businesses.”

The economic Charter change bill was approved by voice voting on May 27. About 200 solons or two-thirds of the lower chamber are needed to pass the measure on third and final reading.