Aquino’s Open Skies Policy – an Open Invitation to the Destruction of  the Local Airline Industry

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) welcomes Lance Gokongwei’s position on the Aquino’s administration’s open skies policy by the Aquino Administration.

As correctly pointed out, Aquino’s executive order opens the country’s skies without any measure of reciprocal gesture from foreign countries.

NEPA had long advocated for the protection and promotion of local industries so that they can compete within and out of the country.

Unfortunately, neo-liberal policies had already virtually wiped out the country’s industrial, manufacturing and agricultural sector. The Aquino administration’s open skies policies policy, among other ill-advised programs will severely damage what remains of the service sector.

Gokongwei stressed that what they are seeking is equal, and not favorable, treatment. NEPA, too do not advocate protectionism if it means protection of monopolies like the Philippine Airlines during the Marcos years.

It must be pointed out, however, that a level playing field is illusory in the airline business if one takes into consideration that the United States (and France ) have a virtual monopoly in the production, sales and rental of aircrafts in this part of the world.

Moreover, the US and French government extend strong support for their airline and aircraft business – cajoling and bullying other countries to expand and develop their world monopoly. This contrasts sharply to the support our government had show its ours.

The reality of globalization is an inescapable fact of our economic and business life. However, globalization does not mean the lack of protection of local industries.  Up till now, the present administration have shown a remarkable penchant in promoting foreign interests to the detriment of our own.

We need more Gokongwei’s speaking out in behalf of Filipino businessmen and genuine Filipino interests. Most other business groups and businessmen sound and act like lobbyists for foreign interest. Kudos Lance!

NEPA Rebuffs Gov. Salceda

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) believes that Gov. Joey Salceda’s call for a boycott of China products is hypocritical as well as useless.

Salceda was a senior economic adviser in the previous administration when the country opened up the market to China and started its entry over the local market to the detriment of local producers.  Needless to say, Salceda is indirectly responsible to the domination of Chinese consumer products over the local market that Salceda is complaining about.

Salceda’s particularly insiduous role in the current situation was to provide the “safety nets” as embodied by laws he authored such as the Republic Act No. 8751 or the Countervailing Duty Act, Republic Act No. 8752 or the Anti-Dumping Duty Act, and Republic Act No. 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act.  These measures were presented as safeguards in the expected deluge of foreign products that goes with the country’s entry in the World Trade Organization and in the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT).

Now, after almost a decade of open markets and a disintegrating local manufacturing sector, Gov. Salceda’s call is most certainly hollow. His safety nets turned out to be, well, full of holes.

Salceda’s call of a boycott, however,  sharply brought into focus the stark reality of the country’s vulnerabilities not just in the Kalayaan Islands conflict but more importantly our economic vulnerabilities.

The Kalayaan conflict is engendered by economics. Unfortunately, the country’s effort especially during GMA’s term to assert its rights over the islands and explore its natural resources is not exactly patriotic in intent and manner. It must be noted that China’s recent aggressive moves came in the heels of the exploration projects by US and European oil interests done under the cover of the Philippine flag.

As such, the Philippines is being made an unwitting tool, a proxy in the fight of global powers to oil.

As to the reality that the Chinese had practically dominated the local market, along with the US and Japan, the country is better served by strengthening its manufacturing sector and the domestic market – something that Salceda’s “safety nets” miserably failed in doing.

Boycott of Chinese products will not strengthen our hand in the Kalayaan Islands’ conflict or serve our national economic interests as if the domestic market is under the thumb not just of the Chinese but of American and Japanese interests.

We must take pains to build our economy so that we can stand on stronger footing as a nation. Let us Build Filipino, Buy Filipino!

NEPA Rebuffs Gov. Salceda

The National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) believes that Gov. Joey Salceda’s call for a boycott of China products is hypocritical as well as useless.

Salceda was senior economic adviser in the Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration as well as her Presidential Chief of Staff when the country opened up the market to China and started its domination over the local market to the detriment of local producers.  Needless to say, Salceda is indirectly responsible to the domination of Chinese consumer products dominating the local market that we now suffer.

Salceda’s particularly insiduous role to GMA’s head on rush to opening up the local market was to provide the legal “safety nets” as embodied by laws he authored such as the Republic Act No. 8751 or the Countervailing Duty Act, Republic Act No. 8752 or the Anti-Dumping Duty Act, and Republic Act No. 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act.  These measures were presented as safeguards and safety nets in the expected deluge of foreign products that goes with the country’s entry in the World Trade Organization and in the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT).

Now, after almost a decade of open markets and a disintegrating local manufacturing sector, Gov. Salceda’s call is most certainly hollow.

On the other hand, his call of a boycott opened up the realities of the country’s vulnerabilities not just in the Kalayaan Islands conflict but more importantly our economic vulnerabilities.

The Kalayaan conflict is engendered by economics. Unfortunately, the country’s effort especially during GMA’s term to assert its rights over the islands and explore its natural resources is not exactly patriotic in intent and manner. It must be noted that

China’s recent aggressive moves came in the heels of the exploration projects by US and European oil interests done under the cover of the Philippine flag.

As such, the Philippines is being made an unwitting tool, a proxy in the fight of global powers to oil.

As to the reality that the Chinese had practically dominated the local market, along with the US and Japan, the country is better served by strengthening its manufacturing sector and the domestic market – something that Salceda’s “safety nets” miserably failed in doing.

Boycott of Chinese products will not strengthen our hand in the Kalayaan Islands’ conflict or in the the economic trade war. Building and strengthening the domestic manufacturing sector along will an honest to goodness Buy Filipino campaign can go to  long way rather than Salceda’s hapless boycott call.