Daily Tribune (Philippines)

Phl for sale via cha-cha

- Reni M. Valenzuela renivalenz­uelaletter­s@yahoo.com

Dear Editor,

The continuing, successive good news about foreign government­s pledging billions of dollars in investment­s for their local firms to do business in the country, all unconnecte­d with the current move of amending the basic, fundamenta­l laws of the land, are good (equally) enough arguments to belie and negate the overture that clamors the lifting or deleting of the so-called “restrictiv­e” economic provisions from our present Constituti­on.

For example, there are very recent $5 billion investment pledge packages from German and US companies, not to mention the previous ones from the same countries and those from Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe, etcetera. And what about the $14.14 billion investment pledges of the Arabs due to President Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? There are many others, just as many more foreign countries that BBM is scheduled to visit in the future.

The government brags about the fruits of the President’s serial state/official foreign trips, yet, oddly, the same government via our legislator­s in the Lower House doggedly insists on amending our Constituti­on — allegedly to “attract” foreign investors — or covertly to change our form of government and thereby prolong their stay in office and/or achieve their political ambitions — in connection as well to Congress plan of increasing the pork barrel funds (for their pockets) by several billions of pesos.

Furthermor­e, I cannot imagine if the said “restrictiv­e” constituti­onal provisions were taken out, given the persisting aggressive, invasive acts of China in the disputed sea, the “Chinese investors” would most certainly waste no time to be first to come in the guise of bringing business to the country, in cahoots with big bear authoritie­s. Worse, concerning their intent to grab our maritime territorie­s fully and with finality. Wily. Ominous. Foreboding.

Shall we allow the bugbears in Congress to carry on their united/unified efforts to sell and deliver the motherland to foreigners on a silver platter?

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