Social and economic reforms can enable Filipino consumers’ optimism

Participants to the consumer conference “CASER: What’s In It for Consumers?” held in Quezon City on Monday, 27 February 2017, pose with peace cranes with various calls for urgent reforms including the resumption of peace talks which include negotiations on important social and economic reforms for peoples’ welfare.

Various consumer groups gathered in a conference last Monday in Quezon City to tackle the social and economic reforms needed to promote consumer welfare. The event participants recognized the need to pursue real social and economic reforms in order to resolve current consumer issues and uphold consumer rights.

The event dubbed “CASER: What Is In It For Consumers? A Conference on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms and Consumer Welfare” was attended by representatives from consumer groups Alerta Mamimili (Gabriela), Bantay Bigas (Rice Monitor), Green Action PH, National Consumer Affairs Council (NCAC), People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (POWER), Text Power, Train Riders Network (TREN), and Water for the People Network (WPN), along with 31 multi sector organizations. The event was organized by IBON in partnership with Pilgrims for Peace and Kapayapaan Campaign for a Just and Lasting Peace.

IBON research head Rosario Bella Guzman kicked off the conference with a discussion of the adverse impact of neoliberal globalization policies that have led to worsening social inequalities, widespread poverty and hunger and thus increasing consumers’ woes.  This was followed by consumer testimonies from the above consumer groups, including testimonies by transport group PISTON, and urban poor network Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY). Raymond Palatino, Pilgrims for Peace convenor and former member of the Philippine House of Representatives then discussed the significance of the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) in promoting and ensuring consumer rights and welfare.

IBON research head Rosario Bella Guzman discussed on consumer woes wrought by decades of neoliberal economic policies. Among these include increasing prices of goods because of foreign corporations domination of the country’s supply chain; proliferation of genetically modified products and unsafe food; food insecurity; environmental degradation and marginalization from the commons; hazardous urban and rural environments; and, consumerism as product of neoliberal onslaught on culture.

The event culminated in the conference participants’ affirmation that continued peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) can lead to genuine and people-centered development.   In this light, the conference echoed the following calls:

–          People-centered reforms to replace the neoliberal economic policies that the government continues to pursue;

–          The assertion and promotion of people’s right to effective participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making towards nation building;

–          Participation in activities towards advancing consumer rights and welfare such as public forums, media briefings, legislation and lobbying, mobilizations, and research and education campaigns, among others; and

–          urging government to resume peace negotiations with the NDFP.

Peace cranes carrying consumer calls for policy reforms.

The participants concluded the conference with the commitment to work together under a unified national network of consumers that will promote people-centered development as the basis of protecting and advancing consumer rights. ###