REFORMS to the Constitution are a priority of the government despite the growing cases of coronavirus disease. Since President Rodrigo Duterte became president in 2016, the administration pushed for changes to the Constitution that would allow for a shift to a federal form of government.
The proposed federal government includes an amendment that prohibits elected officials from switching political parties during the first and last two years of their term.
Additionally, it includes provisions that seek to ban political dynasties in which persons related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from running for public office. This is simultaneous for more than one national and one regional or local position.
Recently, the President wants the party-list system to be scrapped or change it in the Constitution. Allegedly, it had been penetrated by communist insurgents.
However, I am more interested in one of the proposed amendments to the Constitution which is on economic provisions, particularly to lessen the limits on the foreign ownership of land, natural resources, public utilities, mass media, and schools.
It feels ironic to think that the country fought hard and defended our sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea and whatever we have but ends giving up our land and even put our national security at stake.
Under the Constitution, foreign ownership of land is generally limited to 40 percent. There are other articles that provide for the ownership and limitations of foreign individuals.
Article XII provides for the exploitation of natural resources only by corporations whose capital is owned 60 percent by citizens. It also provides that certain areas of investments be reserved for companies whose capital is owned by 60 percent of citizens.
Article XIV provides that educational institutions shall solely be owned by citizens of the Philippines or corporations or associations whose capital is owned by at least 60 percent of citizens.
Article XVI provides that ownership of mass media be wholly owned by citizens or corporations or associations wholly owned by citizens.
The government has proposed and created programs for Filipinos from housing to land loans, and land ownership. Even with these programs Filipinos can’t still afford to own a land and call it home.
In the past, the administration wanted to relax the rule on ownership to attract foreign investments to help grow the economy. Unfortunately, this does not promote healthy competition in the global economy.
Once the government opens and loosens up ownership to foreigners, then a lot of them will become investors and speculators, leaving almost nothing to Filipinos.
This may be good news because the pandemic has made the bad worse and made bad dream a real possibility. Since the pandemic, the administration has managed to push some schemes to survive.
Lawmakers must be cautious in amending the said economic provisions so as not to compromise the welfare of our farmers and the number of Filipinos who have no land of their own. The government may possibly have a hard time lowering the cost of housing.
Of course, we cannot tell if these efforts would prosper. Hopefully, we will have a tight measure on foreign ownership that will uphold the welfare of the Filipinos./PN
