EU, US, Japan pressuring gov’t to change charter — Guingona

ANGELES CITY- Vice Pres. Teofisto Guingona has accused the European Union, the United States, and Japan of pressuring the Arroyo administration to change the Constitution to pave the way for greater foreign access to the Philippines.

In his speech during a forum held here by the Kilusan ng Pambansang Demokratiko (KPD) the other day, Guingona said the pressure is to amend Article 12 of the Constitution which limits foreign ownership of natural and other resources in the country.

"If our Charter is changed, our patrimony will be open fully to all foreigners, and with the prevailing foreign exchange rate, they can readily buy our lands," he warned.

He stressed that the Charter’s Article 12 is our last bulwark, the last protection of our national patrimony. And if restrictions on foreign access to Philippine lands, seas, and air are lifted, the phrase "lupang hinirang" in the national anthem might as well be changed to "lupang hiniram" (borrowed land) or "lupang wala na".

Guingona specifically cited the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry as one of the lobbyists for charter change.

"I am prepared to fight (Charter change) in any forum, I am willing to struggle in the cause to further the fight, and I am willing to sacrifice life for the sake of national patrimony," he emphasized.

He said, however, that the chances of the Constitution being changed before the May elections next year "is now smaller because of the Senate’s stand against charter change."

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., however, earlier said that the House has not given up on their proposal to amend the Contitution through a constituent assembly.

"Should we open our Charter for the sake of rich and powerful countries? We will fight and raise our voices," he added.

The Vice President revealed that those pressuring the Arroyo government to amend the Charter are also apparently lobbying for the implementation of an open skies policy in the Philippines to enable foreign aircraft freer aviation access to the country. "Foreigners want open skies so their planes can come here. What about our local airlines like Philippine Air Lines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines?" he asked.

Guingona lamented that as it is now, the Philippines is already suffering from the impact of globalization which, he noted, was imposed on the Philippines way back in 1982 by the World Trade Organization (WTO). This, he said, is the reason why the country’s textile industry and the agricultural sector have suffered as they cannot match cheaper imported products from other countries.

"There is no free trade, only unfair competition," he added.

Guingona also noted that while the agriculture sector in the US is allotted $19 billion subsidy, Japan $23 billion and European Union $60 billion, the Philippines could not afford any such subsidy.

He, thus urged the government to study well its position in tackling agriculture and services for another conference slated by the WTO in Cancun, Mexico this September, amid reported pressure from foreign countries to also have access to into the country’s educational system through the establishment of foreign-owned schools.