MANILA, Philippines – Hinikayat ni Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III si President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na bigyan ng atensiyon ang seryosong concerns ng economists at faculty members ng University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE) hinggil sa kontrobersiyal na Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Bill.
Naunang inilarawan ni Pimentel ang ‘’hastily-approved’’ measure bilang “unsalvageable” dahil inihayag ng 21 economic professors ng premiere state university na “still beyond repair ang priority legislation ng administrasyon.
“I urge and hope the President will seriously consider the warnings put forth by these distinguished economists,” ayon kay Pimentel.
Naunang ipinanagawan ni Pimentel ang pag-veto sa MIF Bill na pawang idenepensa ni Senator Mark Villar, chairman of the Senate Banks Committee, sa plenaryo. Nakaangkla ang paniniwala ni Villar sa kahusayan ng MIF bill sa economic adviser n administrasyon.
Kabilang sa advisers sina Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno at National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan na kapwa dumalo sa floor debate sa Senado.
“Sigurado po tayo na walang agenda itong dalawang dosenang ekonomista ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas kung hindi ang kapakanan ng ating bayan. Please take heed, Mr. President,” ayon kay Pimentel.
Tumindig si Pimentel laban sa panukala dahil marami itong short-term at long-term consequences.
Naghain ng 21 ekonomista ng sobrang pag-aalala sa panukalang paglikha ng sovereign wealth fund na nakapaloob sa 25-pahingang discussion paper.
“In our view, the MIF violates fundamental principles of economics and finance and poses serious risks to the economy and the public sector – notwithstanding its proponents’ good intentions,” anila.
Tulad ng 21 distinguished economists, binatikos din ni Pimentel ang kawalan ng pondo tuald ng surplus sa trade o budget upang pondohan ang MIF.
“The lack of any surpluses necessarily forces the MIF to scour money from other agencies and corporations of government, posing risks on, say, state-run banks and even the BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipoinas),” ayon sa mga economists.
Naniniwala si Pimentel at naturang ekonomista na kukunin ng MIF ang mahalagang pondo para sa bayan.
“The MIF “poses huge risks to our already strained public coffers and is vulnerable to moral hazard,” aniya saka binanggit na mayroon itong super powers tuald ng kapangyarihan na magkaroon ng mas maraming utang.
“The lack of transparency safeguards in the bill could open the funds to all kinds of abuses,” ani Pimentel. Ernie Reyes
