Privatization, its implications

By Reni M. Valenzuela

Whenever the government feels the pressure to raise funds, it immediately and usually resorts to easy, sleepy ways to meet the need, e.g. privatizing government owned/run institutions/corporations or the selling of government properties, not to mention their “wisdom” in legalizing gambling as many forms of gambling as they can.

Yet, alas, they are cold to the idea of taxing the super-rich more, the sin products and the luxuries of life like golf course/clubs and frequent leisure travels abroad, while encouraging those who have less in life to afford traveling or traveling more domestically and enjoy the country’s beautiful spots by way of government-sponsored offers and special discounts – to boost local tourism and the economy.

Would it not be far-fetched then that our government officials would someday propose the legalization of prostitution, smuggling, illegal logging, human trafficking, drug addiction, corruption, etc. in order to raise “revenues” to finance government projects and programs – because they can’t stop them anyway? I am alarmed that Filipinos may one day be shocked and find themselves to be owned already by another country or other countries.

Don’t our officials realize that “privatization” implies something too bad that reflects too badly on them as national leaders? It goes to reveal the superficiality and slothfulness of the way and means they are addressing the country’s problems. Small wonder, instead of progressing, we retrogress and persist to lag behind our Asian neighbors in almost all and every aspect of nationhood, good governance, good life and development.

A case in point is the government’s plan to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, allegedly because of the recent air traffic control glitch caused by sudden power outage, and which problem brought “absolute nightmare” to the tens of thousands of travelers who got affected.  Ergo, they found an excuse, updated and current, to privatize the country’s prime and largest airport. Pathetic.

What else are the implications/ramifications of “privatization”? Well, it implies just one more/other thing: The people who are running NAIA, together with the government, are incompetent, incapable, lackluster, amateurish and selfish, if not altogether crooked and stupid.  In don’t think so. Why not challenge yourself rather than relieve yourself of the loads of true leadership? “The Filipino Can,” says one slogan. Fly.

“Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in due season, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

“You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” – Psalm 128:2

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