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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Rodriguez cites PH slump in 'economic freedom' report to bolster Cha-cha bid

Rodriguez cites PH slump in 'economic freedom' report to bolster Cha-cha bid

Published Mar 4, 2023 09:54 am

The Philippines' poor showing in The Heritage Foundation’s 2023 Index of Economic Freedom report justifies the ongoing move in the House of Representatives to pursue Charter change (Cha-cha).

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Facebook)

Thus, said Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.

“We are now considered ‘mostly unfree,’ after being ‘moderately free’ for nine consecutive years. We have to do something about the reported deteriorating economic freedom in our country,” Rodriguez said in a statement Saturday, March 4.

According to the report of the United States (US)-based think thank, the Philippines fell to 89th place out of 176 countries with a score of 59.3 points.

The country’s ranking has slumped for a third straight year, from 73rd in 2021 and 80th in 2022. It was in 70th place in 2019 and 2020.

Rodriguez is among the congressmen who are aggressively pushing for amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution. He said that doing so would result to a massive foreign direct investment (FDI) windfall for the Philippines.

“That is our goal. More investments would mean more jobs and income for our people,” he stressed.

Rodriguez’s committee has endorsed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, which calls on Congress to convene a constitutional convention (con-con) to proposed Charter amendments.

The Heritage Foundation reported that among 39 Asia-Pacific nations, the Philippines ranked 18th, behind Malaysia (42th), Indonesia (60th), Vietnam (72nd), and Thailand (80th).

Singapore is the world’s freest economy, topping the economic freedom index, followed by Switzerland, Ireland, Taiwan, and New Zealand.

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Charter change Constitution Rufus Rodriguez Cha-cha
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