Bayan Slams Nograles Cha-cha Resolution
Groups belonging to the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today picketed the House of Representatives as it slammed the recent approval by the Committee on Constitutional Amendments of a measure to allow 100% foreign ownership of land. The group said that the proposal will have disastrous effects on the economy.
This is a gross betrayal of national interest. Not only do these lawmakers keep pushing for charter change in a time of crisis, theyre practically selling out the entire country to foreign interests. The Nograles resolution is the last thing we need, now that the country is in the throes of the worst economic crisis in decades, said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
Bayan said that it opposes the Nograles resolution on the grounds that it seeks to keep alive moves to change the constitution and because the specific proposal is anti-Filipino.
The timing of this move to change the constitution is still suspect, especially when it does not specify what mode of amending the constitution will be used. Arroyos allies are giving themselves a lot of latitude to change the constitution and keep alive Arroyos bid for term extension, Reyes said.
The measure also raises alarm because further liberalization, in a time of severe crisis, will place the country at a more economically disadvantageous position. We should be protecting our land and resources and maximizing them for use by Filipinos. Why are we selling our land and resources to foreign vested interests? If we allow foreign corporations to own our land and resources, what will be left to future generations of Filipinos? Reyes said.
The militant group said that protectionist safeguards were placed in the constitution so that vital resources such as land can serve national development. If you surrender our land and national patrimony to foreign interests, our resources will cease to serve national economic growth and will henceforth be dedicated to foreign profit-making, Reyes said.
Bayan said that it is a false assumption that liberalizing land ownership will spur investments and thus create more jobs for Filipinos. The group said that many sectors in the economy were already liberalized yet these have failed to create engines of economic growth or solved the chronic unemployment problem.
Foreign corporations are interested in maximizing their profits, more than anything else. The kind of investments will likely be in extractive industries such as mining that will drain our domestic resources, or in foreign agri-business which will undermine domestic food security. Well be at the losing end, Reyes said.
Local communities, indigenous peoples, and even local businesses would be at a severe disadvantage when pitted against the big foreign capitalists when it comes to acquiring land and resources. Landlessness would intensify, he added.
Bayan called on patriotic Filipinos to oppose the Nograles resolution when it is tackled before the House plenary. We call on the Senate to oppose the move. We ask the different faiths and religions, indigenous peoples, farmers, workers and youth to make a stand against this gross sell-out, Reyes said.
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