Robin: Economic amendments key to ensure RCEP benefits farmers
SENATOR Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla yesterday maintained that the key to ensuring the recently ratified Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) benefits Filipino farmers will be through the amendment of the economic provisions of the Constitution.
Padilla maintained amending the Constitution’s economic provisions should be the “key” to achieving this.
Padilla said that while RCEP like earlier international trade agreements the Philippines entered into may facilitate the entry of foreign goods, correspondingly the entry of investments should also be facilitated, but this is presently “restricted” by the Constitution’s 40% restriction on foreign investments.
“Kung binaha tayo ng produkto nila, bahain dapat tayo ng investment nila. Pinayagan natin sila magbaha ng produkto dito pero ‘di kayo puwede mag-invest,” he said at a media forum in Manila.
Padilla insisted that RCEP allows foreign goods to enter the Philippines, yet the Constitution restricts foreign investments, which makes the country “uncompetitive.”
“Paanong maging competitive tayo kung ang Constitution natin ay obsolete?” he added.
Padilla further voiced his concerns that RCEP, if not properly implemented, could have a similar effect on farmers as the Rice Tariffication Law, which allowed the importation of rice and allowed palay prices to drop.
Padilla is seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution’s economic provisions to allow the entry of foreign investments, which are restricted to a maximum of 40%.
In his Resolution of Both Houses No. 3, he proposed that this be done through a constituent assembly with members of the Senate and House of Representatives voting separately.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, he is planning public consultations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao including Baguio City, Cebu, and Davao City – starting March 2 in Davao.
Meanwhile, Padilla maintained he favors a constituent assembly as the most “practical way” of amending the Charter’s economic provisions, with members of both houses of Congress voting separately.
“Ang constitutional convention, independent yan, hinahalal ng kababayan. Ang problema sa ngayon tulad ng sabi ni dating Chief Justice Puno, totoo ang sinabi niya hindi natin control kung sino ang uupo. Baka mangyari diyan asawa ni congressman o pinsan ni senator o bata ni oligarch. Nag-aksaya tayo ng panahon, nag-aksaya tayo ng pera,” he said.
