PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Ka Leody de Guzman raised the alarm after the concluded third reading of Senate Bill (SB) 2094, which allows 100% foreign ownership of public service including telecommunications, air carriers, domestic shipping, railways, and subways. The bill now awaits legislation or veto by the President.
He asserted that government must have monopoly control and ownership over public services.
The Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) bet tagged the pending “Public Services Act” as a misnomer. He said, “SB 2094 bill will only benefit foreign monopoly capital.”
The labor leader also questioned the rationale of the proposed measure, which promised more and better choices for service providers to Filipino consumers. He stressed, “It is an excuse to further liberalize the economy and relieve the government of its responsibilities to provide essential services to its people. Three decades of profiteering by big business will refute these rehashed arguments for privatization of public services”.
“Kaya nga public services kasi para sa pakinabang ng mamamayan, pangunahing nakalaan sa publiko at hindi yung maseserbisyuhan lamang ang may kapasidad na bumili sa malalaking mga pribadong negosyo. Itong huling isinabatas ng Senado ay hindi na lang simpleng pagtalikod sa Konstitusyon kundi pagliligalisa ng pag-abandona ng gobyerno sa mandato nitong magserbisyo sa taumbayan. Hindi kalabisan na hingin ng publiko ang mura at libreng serbisyo mula sa gobyerno dahil sila naman ay nagbabayad ng buwis bilang responsableng mamamayan,” De Guzman asserted.
He adds that, “Hindi tubo kundi serbisyo ang dapat na pinagtutuunan sa mga batayang pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Ang ating karanasan sa pribatisasyon ng public utilities gaya ng industriya ng kuryente at tubig ay nagpapakita sa tatlong dekada ng paglago ng tubo ng pribadong korporasyon habang nananatiling kwento ang ipinangakong mas murang serbisyo at kwestyunable pa rin ang sinasabing mas episyente ito kung pinatatakbo ng pribadong sektor. Iniikutan lang nila ang mga regulasyon ng gobyerno at paulit-ulit na nabubulgar na anomalyado ang paraan ng kanilang pagtatakda ng presyo.
The labor leader says that he is now in consultation with non-government organizations and public interest lawyers on how to derail the intrusion of foreign private capital in public services. (PR)
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