Amcham worried over kidnappings

The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Amcham) expressed yesterday its deep concern over the rising number of kidnappings in the country.

Terry Emrick, Amcham president said the kidnapping problem appears to have gotten worse. "The rash of kidnappings does not help the reputation of the Philippines," Emrick said.

Emrick, who is also the president of Ford Philippines, said security firms consulted by Amcham think that kidnapping is getting worse.

"The Amcham had already submitted a list of concerns to President Arroyo with its number one priority being the rise in the number of kidnappings," Emrick said, adding that "we are urging the Arroyo administration to fix the problem."

"Fortunately for the 700-member Amcham, none of its members has been kidnapped so far," he added.

Aside from the rise in kidnapping cases, Emrick said the Amcham also cited the lack of infrastructure and corruption as its major concerns.

"There are not enough roads and highways," Emrick said.

Corruption, he noted, extends to tax collection which results in low revenues.

Emrick said the problems affecting the Philippines are "not much different from those affecting Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam."

Meanwhile, Industrialist Raul T. Concepcion proposed yesterday a one year moratorium on "adversarial politics and negativism."

A one-year moratorium, Concepcion said, will enable all sectors of society to address the fundamental problems that prevent the country from overcoming an impending economic crisis.

Concepcion warned that "the crisis we are facing today is the worst since the war."

He added that unless all sectors like government, business, civil society, labor, non-government organizations, politicians and media put their act together, "we will have a Herculean task of turning the economy around vis-a-vis our ASEAN neighbors."