Suportado ng ilan sa public utility ang panukalang amyenda sa economic provisions ng 1987 Constitution kung saan lalagyan ito ng mga katagang “unless otherwise provided by law.”
Sa pagpapatuloy ng pagtalakay ng Committee of the Whole House sa Resolution of Both Houses No. partikular sa section 11 ng Article 12, sinabi ni Meralco Senior Vice President Atty. Jose Ronald Valles, makatutulong ang pagbubukas na ito sa pagpapapasok ng mga mamumuhunan sa power sector at pagkakaroon ng kompetisyon para mas maisaayos ang kalidad ng serbisyo, at mas murang presyo ng kuryente.
Para naman kay Philippine National Railways (PNR) Chair Michael Ted Macapagal, ang pagdaragdag ng katagang “unless otherwise provided by law” ay paraan upang mas mabilis maka-adapt ang pamahalaan sa mga ilalabas nitong polisiya sa public utility, nang makasabay ito sa nagbabagong panahon at pangangailangan pang ekonomiya.
Katunayan may ilang kontrata na aniya ang Department of Transportation kasama ang ilang foreign corporation para sa railway projects nito gaya ng North-South Commuter Railway Project (NSCR).
“This is consistent with the definition on concession under Section 2C of the Public Service Act as amended. The technical expertise and financial capabilities of foreign corporations in constructing, maintaining, and operating railway transport systems will provide economic advantages to the country. The advance technological knowledge that foreign corporations possess will significantly contribute to the development of modernized railway transportation system in the Philippines,” sabi ni Macapagal.
Tinukoy naman ni Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Board of Trustees Chair Elpidio Vega, na ang kasalukuyang water concessionaires ng MWSS ay may ownership structure na mas mababa pa itinatakdang threshold ng Saligang Batas.
“We ultimately submit to the wisdom of the House and we would like to underscore the flexibility resulting in the inclusion of the phrase ‘unless otherwise provided by law’ which could result in future scenarios wherein the ownership structures of MWSS concessionaires or any other public utility could be fully foreign or provided by the subsequent laws alternatively have Filipino ownership percentage,” Vega said, adding that the percentage “be dependent upon the necessity suitable and favorable to the economy.”
Nakikita naman ni National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Commissioner Ella Blanca Lopez, na ang liberalisasyon ng telecommunications service industry ng bansa ay mas magiging adaptive at makakatugon sa nagbabagong panahon. | ulat ni Kathleen Forbes
