Why on earth they think more of “Constitutional Amendments”
than “Controlling the Pandemic”?
(Or: “thoughts after legislators favouring neoliberal travesty over national patrimony”)
It seems that legislators are stubborn in pushing for amending the 1987 constitution, what more of justifying it. For as they try to limit the amendments to those of economic provisions, the assurances brought by these legislators and supported by certain groups tries to make the plan look "less controversial."
And trying to be done in the middle of the pandemic, these legislators, especially those of House Speaker Velasco and his cohorts in the House of Representatives are pushing in making national patrimony open for foreign control, that economic liberalisation be presented as a "panacea" for economic ills, that 100% foreign investment and the right to control utilities will "break the oligarchs" and "generate jobs"- no matter the fact that it also meant further exploitation.
Sacrificing patrimony for "aid" and "investment"
However, this aim has been repeated since the past. Especially with the promise of "economic aid" has meant sacrificing national patrimony and killing businesses. Macapagal's Decontrol, which replaced Garcia's "Filipino first policy" meant further consolidation of both oligarch and multinational interests what more of in exchange for a stabilization loan coming from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Even Marcos himself who, while posing as a nationalist, rather continued the decontrol program and the diktat of the IMF-WB thinking that those are "inseparable from the philosophy of free enterprise." Even during Martial Law which involved some semblance of industrialisation rather benefited his cronies and other entrenched interests, with development that's built on debt.
With history as a reference would say that efforts in promoting development as rather flimsy, either lives it up on credit or waiting for an interest-seeker to "invest" with concessions offered such as right to exploit resources, manpower, and be presented to many as means to create jobs, development, etc even it meant low wages and depriving the right to organise into unions and assert bet. But despite the promises and some "appeals to national interest", this agenda undermined the efforts to industrialise and plunged the nation into a crisis. Industrialisation as rather limited if not a snail's pace as compradores and multinationals blocked the efforts to promote it. And as the Philippine economy continues to be long dominated by both local compradores and multinational corporations, these two have accumulated superprofits both by plunder and exploitation of country's human and natural resources- and it is unsurprising that local compradores like the Cojuangcos, Zobel de Ayalas, Pangilinan, Villar, and others serves as local agents of foreign capital with apologists ever trying to justify the need for a further open to exploitation.
Is it really to end the "oligarchs" or pitting the "oligarchs" against another?
Perhaps, a concerned would say that the order has again stubborn in its wanton idea of attracting more foreign investments through economic liberalisation. This is more than just a series of concessions but a policy based on a diktat of multinational moneylending agencies and of companies wanting to exploit the nation's natural resources and manpower. And apologists would agree knowing that open borders meant chances of entering international capital even it sacrifices national patrimony in it. After all, "nationalism" is already passe in favour of a neoliberal "global village"; aside from using the "oligarch" card and by telling that liberalising the economy means putting an end to the oligarchy while disregarding that same liberalisation also meant giving the foreign capitalist the right to own land, natural resources, and control utilities in the name of business operations. The latter, of course sounds appealing.
For the economic liberalist this would call it as competition between local oligarchs and foreign capitalists, of local versus foreign capital; but with the reality that neoliberalism has brought a 'dog-eat-dog' kind of truth, calls for economic liberalisation is in fact equivalent to complete economic subjugation to both local and foreign interests- with provisions offering the lowest workers wages and least regulation to plunder local resources. It will lead to worse forms of labor exploitation through wage repression, flexible employment schemes to extend workdays, abuse of workers rights, and job insecurity. It will also result in worse plunder and poisoning of environment due to large-scale mining, massive plantations, unsustainable tourism, and operations of economic zones. It is not surprising for as in the past, that from these big foreign capitalists (mostly multi/trans-national companies) have been in connivance with local oligarchs in exploiting the country's human and natural resources which have accumulated superprofits, while its apologists would babble words like "free enterprise", "free trade", and other similar terms along with justifying low wages, de-representation of workers, rising costs of commodities and services, and the destruction of natural environment and national heritage on the basis of "progress".
Also to think that from this kind of venture, that various policies prior to this thought of amending the constitution has gradually liberalise the economy; and those who favour an untrammeled kind of capitalism really wanted to "move away" the economy from the nation. Yet, since this kind of 'liberalisation' has rather benefited the order than those of its supposed clientele, the promise of development brought by that economic liberalisation has failed to enable the local economy to stand on its own. That on the pretext of "destroying the oligarchs" instead have succeeded in killing local industries and pushing small agricultural holders into bankruptcy and favouring multinationals and local oligarch partners.
Regardless of their statements, the neoliberal-oriented proposed economic amendments rather expands the existing ones brought by interest-seekers for years. Of course those who insist tend to popularise it by claiming it will "break the reign of the oligarchy" by means of "attracting investors" and "expanding the pie", but the fact that this trickle down fantasy has benefited the ruling order, then what kind of development these people seriously talking about? May as well sounds like "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
***
As of this present, these legislators, along with neoliberal-oriented pressure groups, would "try their best" to make people accept these amendments and at the same time detest those who equate economic protectionism to those of "supporting the oligarchs." But to think that this is done in the middle of the pandemic and these people are hurriedly talking about this instead of dealing with the present situation, then no wonder.
If this note meant protectionism then yes, protecting national patrimony and defending workers rights. But does it mean shunning outright foreign direct investments? In fact the country can still accommodate foreign investments and loans if these provides the country with the least costly access to needed technology, products, and markets as defined by specific economic plans. But what the country needs is a serious economic direction that both accommodates foreign investments and at the same time protecting and fostering the growth of local enterprises to ensure the needs of the Filipino folk. Especially that in this time of pandemic where possible scarcity be occurs, perhaps the need for a nation to roll sleeves and work to produce what is needed has becoming necessary.
Frankly speaking, given this pandemic situation, that foreign direct investments alone won't save the country from another pandemic. Given that most countries had no choice but to roll their sleeves and start producing their own, then why not produce own products and seriously engage in promoting local alternatives even for the sake of supplanting its imported counterparts? For sure the country is capable of making PPEs the way it seriously researches on the use of Lagundi and Virgin Coconut Oil as COVID19 treatments, and the likes that most countries may offer but not of this time.
This country need to be self-reliant to survive.