Fil-Chinese business group backs Erap's Concord bid
Balita News
executives expressed its full support Wednesday to the call of President
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada to introduce economic reforms in the
Constitution, saying this move has proven to be urgent "in the light of the
fast changing world economic order."
Dr. Peter Yu, president of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club Inc. (CFBCI)
said there is a need to amend the 1987 Constitution to make it more
responsive to the challenges of a globalization, and make the economic
climate conducive to creating more jobs and bringing in foreign capital.
"The framers of the 1987 Constitution superbly drafted the present Charter
to prevent a resurgence of political dictatorship and to strengthen civil
liberties.They, however, failed to foresee the swift changes in trade and
commerce happening around the globe," Yu said.
"The framers concentrated more on political reforms. Hence there is a need
to focus on the economic provisions of our Charter," he added.
Yu said the CFBCI sees "no clear and present danger" in Mr. Estrada's call
for Constitutional Correction and Development (Concord) because no less
than the President categorically declared that this would not tackle the
proposal to extend the term limits of elective officials.
The President said his two-step proposal to amend the
Constitution—convening a constituent assembly to focus on economic reforms,
and later, a constitutional convention to take up political
amendments—would assure the people that there is no hidden agenda in the
process.
Aside from allowing foreigners to own real property, the President said he
would also call for economic reforms in the Charter that would allow 100
percent foreign ownership of certain public utilities and businesses, such
as the capital-intensive and technology-driven sectors of transportation,
telecommunications and power.
Mr. Estrada said these reforms will translate to more jobs and investments
for the country, as well as more affordable and better services to the
people because foreign businessmen would be able to bring in the needed
capital and technology that would help push down the cost of these
services.
Yu said he shares the perception of the Estrada administration's economic
managers that there is a pressing need to remove barriers to the entry of
much-needed foreign capital into the country.
"We hope that the Concord will introduce meaningful pro-progress and
pro-job generation provisions to enable our country to compete in the fast
changing economic order," he said.
The President said the Concord, which rules out any agenda on political
reforms that would benefit himself and other incumbent officials, reflects
the new economic nationalism enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, by way of
generating more jobs and providing better living standards for the people.
He has assured the public that his Concord is the exact opposite of the
much-maligned "Cha-Cha" (Charter Change) move of the previous
administration that failed to gain the approval of the people because it
included a proposal to extend the term limits of incumbent officials.
The President has emphasized that political reforms must be taken up by a
constitutional convention, along with other proposed changes to the
Charter, in 2004 or after he steps down from office. (OPS) /alm
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