the philippine struggle against neoliberal globalization
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The Philippine struggle against neoliberal globalization. By Teddy Casiño July 28, 2006. Pop: 85 M 7,100 islands Colonized by Spain (400 years) and US (44 years) Vibrant people’s movement that has ousted two presidents Strong anti-imperialist, anti-fascist tradition in the people’s movement - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Philippine The Philippine struggle struggle against against
neoliberal neoliberal globalizationglobalization
By Teddy CasiñoBy Teddy CasiñoJuly 28, 2006July 28, 2006
Pop: 85 MPop: 85 M7,100 islands7,100 islandsColonized by Spain Colonized by Spain (400 years) and US (400 years) and US (44 years)(44 years)Vibrant people’s Vibrant people’s movement that has movement that has ousted two presidentsousted two presidentsStrong anti-imperialist, Strong anti-imperialist, anti-fascist tradition in anti-fascist tradition in the people’s the people’s movementmovementConstitution contains Constitution contains nominal protectionist nominal protectionist provisionsprovisions
Philippine FTAs and BITsPhilippine FTAs and BITs
3838 Bilateral Trade Agreements Bilateral Trade Agreements First with Pakistan in 1961First with Pakistan in 1961 Latest with Thailand in 1999Latest with Thailand in 1999 13 agreements made since 199413 agreements made since 1994
3737 Bilateral Investment Promotion and Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection AgreementsProtection Agreements First with UK in 1980First with UK in 1980 Latest with Portugal in 2002Latest with Portugal in 2002 30 agreements made since 199430 agreements made since 1994
Standard contents of RP FTAsStandard contents of RP FTAs
MFN Treatment and ExemptionsMFN Treatment and Exemptions
Exceptions and SafeguardsExceptions and Safeguards
Payment ArrangementsPayment Arrangements
Trade PromotionTrade Promotion
Dispute ResolutionDispute Resolution
Joint Trade CommitteesJoint Trade Committees
But bulk of RP trade is with USA But bulk of RP trade is with USA and Japanand Japan which have no FTAswhich have no FTAs
USAUSA Bilateral trade agreement on tariff Bilateral trade agreement on tariff
concessions as part of RP’s ascension to concessions as part of RP’s ascension to GATT (1980)GATT (1980)
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in 2002signed in 2002
FTA in initial phase of negotiationsFTA in initial phase of negotiations
Bulk of RP trade is with USA and Bulk of RP trade is with USA and JapanJapan
JapanJapan FTA currently being negotiated to include:FTA currently being negotiated to include:
• Trade in GoodsTrade in Goods• Rules of Origin Rules of Origin • Customs ProceduresCustoms Procedures• Paperless TradingPaperless Trading• Emergency MeasuresEmergency Measures• Trade in ServicesTrade in Services• Movement of Natural Movement of Natural PersonsPersons• InvestmentInvestment• Mutual RecognitionMutual Recognition
• Competition PolicyCompetition Policy• Intellectual PropertyIntellectual Property• Gov’t ProcurementGov’t Procurement• CooperationCooperation• Improvement of theImprovement of the Business EnvironmentBusiness Environment• Dispute Avoidance and Dispute Avoidance and SettlementSettlement• General and Final General and Final ProvisionsProvisions
Neoliberal policies in RP stretch Neoliberal policies in RP stretch back to the 1980sback to the 1980s70s and 80s70s and 80s – debt – debt
accumulation, debt accumulation, debt traptrap
Early 80s Early 80s – trade – trade liberalization under liberalization under IMF IMF (LOIs, MEPs)(LOIs, MEPs)
Early 90s Early 90s – structural – structural adjustment programs adjustment programs (liberalization, (liberalization, privatization, privatization, deregulation)deregulation)
Neoliberal policies in RP stretch Neoliberal policies in RP stretch back to the 1980sback to the 1980sMid 90s Mid 90s – membership in – membership in
WTOWTO – – unprecedented, unilateral unprecedented, unilateral cuts in tariff ratescuts in tariff rates – – neoliberal policies are neoliberal policies are institutionalized (AGILE institutionalized (AGILE group funded by US-AID)group funded by US-AID)
19961996 – RP hosts APEC – RP hosts APEC Summit, globalization hailed Summit, globalization hailed as the “next wave to as the “next wave to development”development”
19971997 – Asian currency crisis, – Asian currency crisis, Charter change pushCharter change push
20042004 – fiscal crisis, renewed – fiscal crisis, renewed Cha-chaCha-cha
Neoliberal policies in RP stretch Neoliberal policies in RP stretch back to the 1980sback to the 1980s
The Philippines became a dumping ground The Philippines became a dumping ground for excess goods and capital from for excess goods and capital from industrialized nations, a source of cheap industrialized nations, a source of cheap labor, raw materials and semi-labor, raw materials and semi-manufactures.manufactures.
With the Philippine economy one of the most With the Philippine economy one of the most liberalized in the ASEAN region, FTAs liberalized in the ASEAN region, FTAs have become almost superfluous. have become almost superfluous.
People’s People’s resistance to resistance to imperialist imperialist globalizationglobalization
Debt reduction campaigns (calls range from Debt reduction campaigns (calls range from repudiation, cancellation to cap on payments)repudiation, cancellation to cap on payments)
Anti-SAP campaignsAnti-SAP campaigns
People’s Campaign Against Imperialist People’s Campaign Against Imperialist Globalization (APEC meetings)Globalization (APEC meetings)
Junk WTO campaignJunk WTO campaign
WTO out of agricultureWTO out of agriculture
Food sovereigntyFood sovereignty
People’s People’s resistance to resistance to imperialist imperialist globalizationglobalization
Against large-scale, commercial miningAgainst large-scale, commercial miningAgainst dams and other “development projects”Against dams and other “development projects”For fair tradeFor fair tradeFor water accessFor water accessAgainst high power ratesAgainst high power ratesAgainst deregulation of oil industryAgainst deregulation of oil industryAnti charter change campaignAnti charter change campaign
The anti-The anti-neoliberal neoliberal campaigns are campaigns are closely linked closely linked to campaigns to campaigns against fascism against fascism and militarism and militarism (vs. imperialist (vs. imperialist plunder & war)plunder & war)
Forms of struggleForms of struggle
Propaganda and education Propaganda and education campaignscampaigns
Rallies and mass Rallies and mass demonstrationsdemonstrations
Networking and formation of Networking and formation of alliancesalliances
Participation in official Participation in official processesprocesses
Lobbying, negotiationsLobbying, negotiations Initiatives in CongressInitiatives in Congress Filing of court casesFiling of court cases
Armed struggle, peace talksArmed struggle, peace talks
International solidarity workInternational solidarity work
Some concrete gainsSome concrete gains
Stop/delay in mining operationsStop/delay in mining operationsStop/delay in “development projects”Stop/delay in “development projects”Stop/delay in privatization programsStop/delay in privatization programsConstitution has not been amended yetConstitution has not been amended yetCongressional investigationsCongressional investigationsMining Act declared unconstitutional but later Mining Act declared unconstitutional but later reversedreversedSome tariffs raisedSome tariffs raisedImperialist globalization is constantly under Imperialist globalization is constantly under challengechallenge
Problem areasProblem areas
How to popularize issues, broaden How to popularize issues, broaden resistance while raising the issues to the resistance while raising the issues to the anti-globalization, anti-imperialist levelanti-globalization, anti-imperialist levelHow to sustain mass mobilizationsHow to sustain mass mobilizationsStruggle against reformism and cooptationStruggle against reformism and cooptationDealing with big capitalists, landlords and Dealing with big capitalists, landlords and bureaucrats/politiciansbureaucrats/politiciansDealing with black propaganda and fascist Dealing with black propaganda and fascist attacksattacks