With Duterte’s last three “legacy” economic bills supposedly aimed at the recovery and sustainability of the economy, the Freedom from Debt Coalition stands that the justification given by the government to implement and advertise these economic measures is flimsy and highly questionable.

The Public Services Bill will reduce the role of the government in the delivery of public services by reducing the coverage of what is a public utility; its supplementing bill enacted last year on retail trade allows foreign retailers to come in and compete at the small grocery level. At the same time, the amendment of the Foreign Investment Act is another pending bill before the end of Duterte’s administration, which seeks to liberalize the entry of foreign investments in the domestic e-commerce market and other areas of the economy. It opines that these foregoing triple measures are not only anti-development but also anti-Constitutional.

Now, the question sets for us is clear: Babangon ba o lalong lulubog ang Pilipinas? Join FDC with Walden Bello live via Facebook and Zoom on February 23, 2022 at 10:00 AM and participate in this discussion!