We, the Filipino People, Urge Congress to Amend the Economic Provisions of the 1987 Constitution to Improve the Economic Situation of the Country Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution states that sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from us;

WHEREAS, a Constitution is a living document that needs to be amended in line with the changing times and needs of a society;

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution authorizes Congress to constitute itself as a Constituent Assembly for the purpose of introducing amendments to the 1987 Constitution;

WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution is silent on whether the House of Representatives and the Senate will vote separately or jointly. It is the will of the Filipino People that both houses should vote separately on any proposed amendments to the Constitution. Discussion on manner of voting should be limited to provide more time for meaningful discussions on the content and merit of proposed amendments;

WHEREAS, the proposed schedule for the plebiscite to ratify the constitutional amendments is during the 2022 elections. This timeline should allay any fear that these amendments will constitute any term extensions, lifting of term limits or any disruption in the current political structure of the country;

WHEREAS, it is the will of the Filipino People to limit the proposed amendments only to the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution;

WHEREAS, discussion on ownership of different industries in the country should be given to Congress as representatives of the people. It should not be restricted in a constitution but rather, as in many constitutions in the world, should be delegated to the representatives of the people to provide flexibility in enabling the nation to respond better with the changing needs of the time;

WHEREAS, the proposed amendments including but not limited to the inclusion of the phrase, “unless provided by law” will not haphazardly open all industries to multinational companies but they will give future legislatures a free hand to determine which industries to gradually open and which sectors are underinvested and would, therefore, need more competition;

WHEREAS, the patch and temporary remedies devised by Congress are no longer enough to solve the economic fall-out brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for the overarching economic reforms in the 1987 Constitution to tackle the different economic problems following the COVID-19 pandemic is now very clear. There is a need to amend the 1987 Constitution to solve our country’s pervasive problems on PRESYO, SERBISYO and TRABAHO;

PRESYO

Liberalism, the philosophy supposedly espoused by liberal parties globally, supports free markets and free trade. Barriers to trade such as the current economic restrictions in the 1987 Constitution are antithetical to such thought. A free market is needed to create robust competition.

The country’s public utilities: telecommunications, electricity, water, and railway are controlled by duopolies, oligopolies and cartels resulting in some of the highest costs in Asia at the expense of underserved communities. Had there been more competition, the Filipino people would have more choices and better value for money. However, few Filipino families have the capital to invest in these big industries. Less than 1% of registered businesses are big corporations. There is a need to encourage big multinational companies to invest in the country not only to increase competition in these industries, thereby lowering prices of these services but also to provide jobs for our people.  

Unfortunately, many multinational companies relocating from China are moving to Vietnam and Indonesia which are more FDI (foreign direct investments)-friendly than the Philippines. These countries are also continually reducing restrictions on FDI. These multinational companies would have benefited Filipinos had the 1987 Constitution not included such economic restrictions.

SERBISYO

The average FDI of the Philippines is only about 2% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This translates to only more than seven billion dollars. This is meager compared to Singapore’s more than 20 billion dollars. As a once impoverished island, Singapore has understood the need to encourage the flow of foreign investments into their country. With more investments located inside the country, the government can collect more taxes by having more multinational companies in order to have more funds for its different social programs. This is in stark contrast to the Philippine situation of depending on remittances which is currently around 7% of our GDP. 

Throughout and succeeding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine government will need more funds for its COVID-19 response and economic rehabilitation. It is high time that the funds for these programs be driven by taxes from an increasing number of multinational companies located in the country instead of loans and remittances from Filipinos overseas.

TRABAHO

Over two million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have left the country for better economic opportunities abroad due to lack of jobs in the country. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has a global effect and these overseas opportunities have been affected. Over 600,000 of OFWs were repatriated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the country - in its current situation - cannot provide the same economic opportunities offered overseas. There is a need to change our course from “sending workers to companies abroad” to “sending companies abroad to workers in the country”. Working overseas should only be a choice neither brought by poverty nor lack of opportunity in the country. 

WHEREAS, Filipinos demand affordable cost of goods and services (PRESYO); better public services (SERBISYO); and more job opportunities, decent work and higher pay (TRABAHO); all of which can only be achieved if there is genuine market competition which did not and will never flourish in a protectionist economy under the 1987 Constitution;

NOW THEREFORE,

We, the FILIPINO PEOPLE, from whom the sovereignty of government resides and emanates - call upon the SENATE and the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to convene as a CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY for the SOLE purpose of FIXING the restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution.

As the Filipino people's representatives, it is your DUTY to make sure ECONOMIC JUSTICE is served to all Filipinos! 

PST! Presyo. Serbisyo. Trabaho.

PST! House of Reps! Hoy! Senado! 

Hoy Duterte! Pangako mo!

It’s time for an economic revolution! 

It’s high time to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution!