[asia-apec 320] Chretien's visit spells economic disaster for Filipino people

[mario mapanao]

PRESS STATEMENT
(on the state visit of Canadian PM Jean Chretien and Bayan's protest action
Jan. 16)
15 January 1997

Ref.: Nathanael Santiago, Secretary-General, Bayan
        TelFax No. 721-1021 loc. 29;
        e-mail: bayan at mnl.sequel.net
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CHRETIEN'S VISIT SPELLS ECONOMIC DISASTER FOR FILIPINO PEOPLE

     The current state visit of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien to the
Philippines spells not "greater economic cooperation" but graver disaster to
the Filipino people. It is also part of  the imperialist countries'
conspiracy to bring third-rate countries under their stronger economic hegemony.

     Chretien should let the truth out: his trade mission is nothing but an
all-out effort by a junior imperialist partner to grab a share of the
economic pie clinched in the Philippines last year by its senior imperialist
mentors (the US, primarily) through huge business contracts such as
information technology and airflight agreements. "Economic opportunities" in
the Philippines are now for the imperialists' take under Ramos' structural
adjustment programs liberalizing trade, investment and intellectual property
rights all of which are being hastened by the imperialist
globalization-driven Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

     Canada will host the fifth APEC all-leaders' summit this coming
November and the ground is being laid for the turnover of the role played by
General Ramos as the faithful facilitator of the trade bloc's
pro-imperialist agenda in the Subic summit. Like the neocolonial Philippines
however Canada will hardly be a role model for the coming APEC summit as its
membership under the North American Free Trade Area (Nafta) only brought
unprecedented poverty and unemployment to the Canadian people.

According to leading anti-Nafta advocates, the North American trade bloc led
by the US, has wrecked Canada's world class social programs, slashed
welfare, institutionalized the anti-worker labor only contracting system,
deregulated environmental legislation, stripped natural resource protection
programs and privatized the transport sector, among others. While more than
90% of Canada-US trade is now concentrated in the hands of just 200
corporations, unemployment stands at almost 20% and child poverty has
increased by 51%.

Bolstered by imperialist globalization and Ramos' pro-capitalist policies,
Canada is careering to engaged in more extractive industries and BOT schemes
in infrastructure and telecommunications in the Philippines. This junior
imperialist country  is actually amassing huge profits from destructive
operations such as logging and mining, the disastrous impact of which was
proven in last year's Marcopper mining tragedy in Marinduque.

The mining tragedy, which displaced thousands of farmers economically and
ecologically, fits into the pattern of exploitation and oppression of
Filipinos wherever Canada -- for that matter, other imperialist
globalization countries and their corporations -- reign. Tens of thousands
of Filipino domestics in Canada, alongside thousands of other migrant
compatriots, suffer enslavement, discrimination, poor pay and sexual abuse. 

The imprimatur given by Ramos in warmly welcoming Chretien's trade mission
and in forging "economic cooperation" is a stamp of approval by a
neocolonial puppet to the greater impoverishment and other economic
hardships of the Filipino people under the hands of major and junior
imperialist exploiters and oppressors.

The Filipino people have no other course of action but to resist this
renewed assault on their well-being. There is no other direction except
towards opposing imperialist globalization in all arenas, in all countries.

To dramatize this move, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan will stage a picket
against the presence of Team Canada led by Chretien, tomorrow, January 16,
in front of the Manila Peninsula Hotel, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 11 a.m.

Peoples of the Philippines and Canada: Junk APEC and Oppose Imperialist
Globalization! 

Indemnify all victims of Marcopper tragedy!

Out with Placer Dome and other Canadian mining firms in the Philippines!


NATHANAEL SANTIAGO
Secretary-General, Bayan