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Wednesday, April 13, 2005
New trade commitments to affect poor Filipinos
By Raquel C. Bagnol
A NON-government organization Monday called on the government not to enter into new commitments under the General Agreement on Trade and Services (Gats) as this will result into the privatization of more services that will trigger additional burden to the poor.
Randy Ponteras, chair of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Davao Chapter, said that 147 countries would meet in December 2005 for a ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Hong Kong.
"We are apprehensive that if the Philippines will agree to the expansion of commitments under Gats, this will mean opening of more industries to foreign companies and investors," Ponteras said.
He said the urban poor would be the ones carrying the bulk of the burden if services like light and water companies will be privatized.
Aside from this, other services would include transportation, media, advertising, telecommunications and others, he said.
"We know the ill-effects of privatization because it is the urban poor like the residents of Bucana, Boulevard and other areas in the city who will suffer," he added.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (April 13, 2005 issue)
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