By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Just like the fabled Pandora’s box, more exploitation of workers could be one of the ill effects of charter change (Cha-Cha) via the people’s initiative (PI).
This is the apprehension aired on Saturday by the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), saying amending economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution to attract more foreign investors may set aside labor protections in the charter and lead to more workers being exploited.
“We fear that Cha-cha (charter change) will remove not only limits to foreign ownership of land and other essential sectors of the economy. We also fear that it will remove the provisions of the 1987 Constitution that guarantee labor rights,” the CTUHR said in a statement.
On the other hand, the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) earlier this week argued for the lifting of restrictions on foreign ownership in certain sectors, saying that, with these in place, “there is no incentive to innovate, to compete.”
It can be noted that since the administration of the late President Fidel V. Ramos there had been attempts for Cha-Cha and even the previous Duterte administration wanted to effect a “revolutionary government” (RevGov) but failed.
Cha-Cha has been revived this month through a PI campaign that aims for the Senate and House of Representatives to vote as one in amending the Constitution.
(el Amigo/MNM)