No contest — no competition

Where government goes to develop industrial or economic sites and “New Cities,” there you will find the top corporations of Imperial Manila coming in with so much capital and political clout they barely leave any leftovers for regional or provincial businessmen to work with. This is what is commonly referred to as a “No Contest” situation. Just look at what has happened in BGC, Clark - Pampanga, as well as most infrastructure related projects of government. The Big Boys keep winning by virtue of their massive financial war chests and the “Big” just keeping getting bigger. 

It reminds me of the time when Jesus taught the parable of the ten talents and concluded the lesson by saying: “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).

Clearly we are at that stage where the top businessmen and corporations are taking away from those who are smaller in comparison. How can we talk about competition if there is “no contest” between the big businessmen of Imperial Manila versus emerging businessmen in our many provinces? We can talk all we want about the virtues and benefits of competition but that only helps in an environment where businessmen and corporations are on an even financial and political footing. Yes we live in a free market, a capitalist’s heaven and the last thing we want is for government to meddle in the conduct of business. But have we ever stopped to consider that the country and future governments could be totally ruled by business and not by votes?

It is ironic that we have Agrarian Reform that gave the land of the middle class to the landless, while the Philippine Constitution provides that foreigners cannot buy or own land except through inheritance. Of course many of us know that back in the mid-30’s the issue was “also” about how to protect “Filipino” interests, meaning the Mestizos versus the Foreigners, or “The Insulares versus the Peninsulares.” So now we barely have any of the original middle class to speak of, many of the recipients of Agrarian Reform have either sold out or been bought out by real estate developers or industrialist corporations. And the only ones in control are the Big Boys of Imperial Manila!  Time to wake up and create an equal playing field.  

I am all for free trade and business, but it must also be fair and genuinely competitive. To that end, the government should consider partnerships with regional or provincial players while our legislators especially members of Congress representing provinces, should look into finding ways where provincial or regional businesses are given some degree of protection or share in the pie so they are not “swallowed up” or beaten in their own neighborhood. Just look at how malls have killed or beaten down independent retail outlets in their own backyard. Even national or chain convenience stores have started to kill our iconic sari-sari stores while real estate giants and hotel chains now rule many cities or urban centers all the way to Mindanao!

If you think “protection” is far fetched, I have heard of places where their Mayor or City Council have passed ordinances banning or disallowing the entry of certain products and labeling them us “unhealthy,” GMO or being a threat to the local economy. Not all these opposition is done in plain sight of course, often the city elders simply suggest to the “invaders” to go to the next town if they wish. Yes I am espousing “protectionism,” but only to a limited extent where provincial and regional players are given room to grow for the benefit of their constituencies and territory. 

Alongside this, I am respectfully calling out to BIR Commissioner Dulay to please study and correct the current system where the same big corporations and businesses continue to pay their corporate and income taxes within Imperial Manila. Taxes should be paid where the products and services were made or delivered and not where orders or bookings were made. At the end of the day, it is all up to the “probinsyanos” if they want to protect their interests and their future in business. All I know is that it won’t happen unless we legislate a system that provides for fair competition and protects the emerging businessmen and women so they can grow from small fry to big fish. If not, then lets label them an “endangered species.”

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It seems that there is now a change of philosophy inside the BCDA or Bases Conversion Development Authority. Once upon a time in the Yellow Kingdom the philosophy was righteous confrontation that insiders have relabeled as “self-righteous confrontation.” Unfortunately, all that ever resulted to was a stack full of lawsuits and very little else being accomplished. Now that the BCDA has come under the Red Kingdom, their strategy is to follow “the path of least resistance,” rebuilding relationships and bringing focus to how the BCDA and its programs can contribute to the benefit of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Given that the BCDA boss Vince Dizon had something to do with the crafting of the motto: “Build, Build, Build,” perhaps it’s time for the BCDA to do exactly that for the AFP and their people. I suggest they build real world-class residential communities for the AFP and not doghouses like those built in the past. I suggest to the BCDA officials bring their teams to Singapore and Malaysia to see what those governments do in terms of residential communities for uniformed personnel. Get out of the “housing” mindset and go to “residential communities” that meet regional or global standards. Give the AFP something substantial and honorable for the land and the lives they have given up.

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