Review and Amend Failed Economic Policies not the Constitution

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) calls on Congress to review and amend failed economic policies and laws instead of tinkering with the 1987 Constitution. NEPA views the Congress declared aim to amend the Constitution via a bicameral constituent assembly as incredibly ill-timed even if well-intentioned.

It is not hard to see the incredible irony of the Congress intent to amend the economic provisions of the constitution amidst the more pressing economic concerns such as spiraling petroleum prices, devastation from natural calamities and increasing prices of commodities triggered by a runaway EVAT collection spree.

Amending the constitution at this time diverts the attention of Congress from reviewing and amending failed laws that it itself enacted such as the EVAT law, EPIRA, to name a few. These laws have not only failed miserably to alleviate economic hardships as once promised, worse the same laws increased the economic suffering among the people.

Amending the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution does not and cannot provide for immediate relief for the current economic crises.

Who will be the new Claro M. Recto in Bicameral Constituent Assembly?

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) views with alarm the moves by Congress to amend the nationalist economic provisions of the 1986 Constitution.  Foremost among NEPA’s concern is the predominance of neo-liberal legislators with economic and business interests tied to foreign corporations.

The nationalist economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution, notably that of the provision on land ownership and ownership of corporations and companies were pushed by nationalists in the 1987 Constitutional Commission. In large measure, these same provisions were the same ones that Claro M. Recto, Salvador Araneta, founding leader of NEPA fought tooth and nail in the formulation of the 1935 Constitution.

Unfortunately, these same nationalist provisions are diluted and contradicted in the same Constitution by anti-nationalist provisions sponsored by representatives of big business.

Hence, the current review of the economic provisions of the constitution will re-live the same fight in the 1935 Constituent Assembly and the 1986 Constitutional Commission.

NEPA hopes and prays that new Claro M. Rectos will stand up to win the fight for economic nationalism.

Much Ado about Tourists in the Open Skies Policy

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) expresses its reservations regarding tourism as the end-objective of the pocket open skies policy of the Aquino Administration.

For one, the increased tourist arrival does not necessarily translate into substantial revenue for the country.  For example, South Koreans who make up a substantial portion of tourist arrivals during the past few years generally uses Korean travel agencies, eats in Korean owned and operated restaurants, and stays in Korean-owned establishment. That Baguio is called Little Korea must mean something. This is a far cry from what government officials sees as the Thai paradigm where tourists actually consume, eat and spend top dollars for Thai products, Thai resorts and Thai food.

Two, bloating the tourist arrival figures today are Chinese businessmen shuttling from Xiamen to Manila bringing in goods for sale in Divisoria and other places. (Divisoria is now almost exclusively the preserve of Chinese businessmen from Xiamen shuttling from China to Manila.) Opening up more ports of entry for these type of “tourists” can mean more smuggled goods and more Filipino industries failing due to unabated smuggling. Is the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Immigration up to the tasks of guarding several more points of entry?

Thirdly, opening up completion without reciprocity will disadvantage local carriers against foreign carriers which have strong financial and other forms of economic support from their government. It is not too farfetched to imagine that with an open skies policy, we will soon see the end of local carriers and have Singapore Airways and Cathay Pacific lording it over our own skies.

Having an open skies policy to draw in tourists is akin to placing the cart before the horse. Let our local carriers develop first in fair competition amongst themselves with the advantage due Filipino local carriers.