Farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said the domestic agriculture needs full protection and not more foreign investments and foreign ownership as proposed in the insidious Charter Change, this was the statement of KMP as it staunchly opposed the proposal of rabid Charter Change lobbyists to remove investment restrictions in the domestic rice and corn industry. “In our years under the auspices of WTO’s globalization and liberalization policies in agriculture, farmers’ lives and livelihood did not prosper,” according to KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos.  

KMP said the Philippines’ agriculture sector stands to lose the most if economic ChaCha will push through with the Resolution of Both Houses No 6 and 7.

“Foreign investments only mean more profits for foreign businesses and not necessarily economic development for farmers and basic social sectors. As if the lessons of our membership to the World Trade Organization (WTO) are not enough, the Lower House and the Senate want to approve an economic ChaCha to the detriment and disadvantage of Filipino farmers. Instead of protecting our local agriculture, the government will further open our land resources to foreign businesses.”

“Our annual agricultural trade deficit has ballooned to nearly $9 billion — proof that FDIs in agriculture are not entirely beneficial to farmers and the local economy. Filipinos, especially farmers, and fishers will never truly benefit from this economic ChaCha. We must prioritize achieving genuine agrarian reform and the strengthening of our local food production and supporting our farmers, fishers, and local agriculture stakeholders to the fullest.”

“Bukas na bukas na ang Pilipinas sa dayuhang pamumuhunan pero nananatili itong atrasado, lugmok  at kulelat sa mga karatig na bansa. Malinaw na hindi ang 1987 Constitution ang dapat irebisa ng gobyerno kundi mismo ang pagkalulong nito sa mga neoliberal na patakaran,” Ramos says.

“We cannot accept and allow further plunder and full foreign ownership under ChaCha. We have seen the catastrophic effects of globalization over the last four decades – our agriculture sector has been devastated and has fallen to its smallest share of GDP in history — 9.2% in 2019 and 9.6% in 2021. Agricultural growth averaged just 1.2% from 2017 to 2021, a far cry from the historical average of 3.8% since the end of World War 2.” 

“Sa totoo lang, mas marami nang FDI ang Pilipinas noong taong 2022 kaysa sa China, South Korea at Taiwan noong panahon ng pag-arangkada ng mga bansang ito noong 1970s-80s. Todo arangkada ang FDIs sa Pilipinas pero hindi umuusad ang lokal na agrikultura.” ###