US is exploiter not hero of Frank typhoon – KMU

Arroyo trip to US disastrous, not progressive for nat’l economy 

Kilusang Mayo Uno highlighted today that what ensues in the ongoing meeting of the US and the Arroyo government is the exact opposite of what they are publicizing. 

KMU Secretary General Wilson Baldonaza slammed US President Bush’s aid offering for typhoon victims on his recent meeting with Arroyo.

“The US government will not deceive us to laud it for another heroic deed by offering ‘aid’ to Frank typhoon victims. It is the height of their cruelty to exploit a major tragedy that has struck the nation,” said Baldonaza. 

“Such ‘aids’ are only tools for the US to further abuse the country’s natural resources and manpower. US foreign investments dominate the Philippine economy allowing us to remain backward and dependent on their dictates. 

“The food crisis we experience now is one manifestation of the height of US exploitation. US-backed international trade policies pushed poor countries like us to import rice from them, while our own rice fields are converted into other purposes for US’ market needs.” 

Baldonaza it was very ironic that one of the top agenda of Arroyo’s trip is food security.  

“The US government also forced the entry of high-maintenance rice crops that brought increased costs for our local production, thereby unable to compete with imported rice from US which they can sell at very low costs."

Also, taking cue from Arroyo’s US trip, the US-backed World Bank (WB) recently announced encouragement for the Philippines to draw from the $1.2 billion global financial assistance it has allotted for countries coping with food crisis.

Under the bank’s ongoing Country Assistance Program, the country may borrow as much as $950 million a year, for which a WB fiscal said that the Philippines so far has borrowed only $230 million.

“The catch here is that the WB will have to know and approve first on what infrastructure and development projects the country will use the money on, so they can be assured that US multinationals will again profit from such in the long run,” Baldonaza said.

He also reminded the public of the 175 billion dollar Grains Sector Development Program of Asian Development Bank last year 2000. ADB imposed as conditions the deregulation of the NFA, and the removal of restrictions on importations, among others, which are now taking into effect and aggravating the rice crisis.

“Indeed, Arroyo’s trip to US will lead to further economic decline and exploitation of our nation.” ###