THE liberalization of education and media in the Charter reforms being pushed in the House and the Senate will greatly benefit the country and give Filipino youth opportunities to gain new knowledge in foreign educational institutions here, as well as generate jobs with the entry of foreign media.
In a press briefing, House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, and Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) Deputy Secretary General Dr. Romulo Emmanuel Miral Jr. shared their insights on the impacts of economic charter change, especially on foreign ownership of education and media.
Both Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 7 introduced by the House of Representatives and the Senate’s RBH 6 have proposed amendments to Articles XII, XIV and XVI, focusing on the national patrimony, economy, education and general provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
On media foreign ownership, Miral said that digitalization have erased territorial boundaries.
“Wala na talagang boundaries. Kaya sayang naman kung sa halip na nandidito yung headquarters nila, e nandudun sa ibang bansa,” he said.
He said foreign media in the country will employ a lot of people if their headquarters will be stationed in the country.
“Kung nandidito ang mga headquarters nila kaysa nandudun sila sa ibang bansa, tapos tayo nagpapadala lang ng content doon and then saka nila ipapalabas dito sa atin, nakakapanghinayang yung pagkakataon na ganon,” Miral said.
As to allowing foreign ownership of educational institutions, Miral said this will only cover tertiary or higher education.
He said the presence of foreign educational institutions in the country will provide opportunities to more Filipino students to gain new knowledge.
“Mas kaunti kasi ang makakalabas (ng Pilipinas). Halimbawa, yun mismong mga educational institututions na ito ay pupunta dito sa ating bansa, mas maraming makakapag-aral sa atin at makapag-take advantage ng mga bagong kaalaman. Kasi, like Singapore, they welcome this. Sa Malaysia ganun din. So talagang mahuhuli tayo pag hindi natin ito sinundan yung ganung trend,” he said.
Miral also expressed his belief that foreign educational institutions in the country would not be harmful to Filipino values.
“Hindi ko tinitingnan na it will be detrimental to our values. Sa palagay ko naman sa pag-aaral ko (sa abroad), hindi ako nagbago. Nandun yung same values (ko). Palagay ko ung formation na iyon na habang bata tayo nabubuo na iyon,” he said.
He added “Pagdating natin sa edad na iyon, maliwanag na ang pag-iisip natin. Kaya nga may age of reason na. So palagay ko alam na natin ang tama. Saka isa pa, yung tama at mali, that’s something universal e. At kung talagang alam natin ang tama at mali, hindi ko alam bakit it is something to be concerned of. Hindi ko talaga maintindihan.”
Acidre said studying abroad gives the necessary exposure to students to practice and learn new things.
“Kung pag-aaral lang yan, pwede nang pag-aralan dito sa Pilipinas. It is really the exposure to practice and learn that we are trying to get. Now, not everybody will have that opportunity. Kaya nga gusto natin dalhin sa Pilipinas para yung mga hindi naman maka afford, walang panahon o pagkakataon makapag-aral abroad, ay magkaroon sila ng pagkakataon na makuha ang parehong exposure, parehong pag-aaral para hindi na sila mangibang bansa,” he said.
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