Foreign ownership of public services will only exploit workers – group
MANILA — Labor group Defend Jobs Philippines slammed the House of Representatives’ approval of a measure allowing foreigners ownership over local public utilities including telecommunication and transportation, saying these would only worsen the existing struggles of ordinary workers.
Now on its way to the third and final reading at the lower chamber of Congress, House Bill No. 78 seeks to delineate the terms public service and public utility, which fall under the restriction on foreign ownership in the 1987 Constitution.
Deputy Speaker Sharon Garin (Aambis-Owa Party-list) who penned the bill argued that the measure would help bring in more foreign investors that would boost competition in the public service sector in the local market.
“This legislative reform will significantly contribute to increasing competition, as well as protecting the public interest. More competition among providers would result in lower prices and improved quality of basic services, creating a more competitive economy towards a better quality of life for all,” Garin said.
As it stands, Chapter 2 of the Public Service Law includes under “public service”: any common carrier, railroad, street railway, traction railway, sub-way motor vehicle, either for freight or passenger, or both with or without fixed route and whether may be its classification, freight or carrier service of any class, express service, steamboat or steamship line, pontines, ferries, and water craft, engaged in the transportation of passengers or freight or both, shipyard, marine railways, marine repair shop, [warehouse] wharf or dock, ice plant, ice-refrigeration plant, canal, irrigation system, gas, electric light, heat and power water supply and power, petroleum, sewerage system, wire or wireless communications system, wire or wireless broadcasting stations and other similar public services
However, House Bill No. 78 defines public service to cover: “common carrier, railroad, street railway, subway motor vehicle, ice refrigeration plant, irrigation system, marine railways, wire or wireless communications systems; wire or wireless broadcasting stations; freight or carrier services, steam boats ferries and war craft engaged in the transportation of passengers or freight, gas, electric light, heat and power water supply and power, petroleum and sewerage system, among others.” — Philstar.com with reports from The STAR