Lakas fears use of actors for Concord drive

ANGELES CITY -- Will showbusiness personalities be used in the Estrada administration's final bid to sway public support for Charter change?

The opposition party Lakas certainly hopes not.

Lakas secretary general Rep. Heherson Alvarez nevertheless warned his partymates to be wary of such a move after President Estrada declared he has not given up on his Constitutional Correction for Development (Concord).

"I fear that the administration will eventually employ popular actors and actresses once the Concord information campaign goes on full steam," Alvarez said during the opposition party's consultation meeting at the Oasis Hotel here the other day.

He described such tactics as "shallow" and "deceptive."

Through Concord, the President is seeking amendments that would allow foreign investors greater control of Philippine companies in key sectors such as media and transportation, and direct ownership of residential and industrial land.

Over the weekend, Mr. Estrada dismissed reports that he already shelved his Concord, saying he will continue to espouse the lifting of investment restrictions.

He said pursuit of Concord is the only way the government can come up with $48 billion needed to upgrade telecommunications, power generation capacity and toll road networks.

Alvarez voiced out his opposition to the constitutional changes being pursued through Concord, particularly those that open full land ownership to foreigners as a way to attract investments.

He pointed out that in other countries such as China, investments continue to pour in even though foreigners cannot own land.

Lakas titular head and former President Fidel Ramos said more immediate and pressing issues other than Charter change must be addressed by the administration.

"In the final analysis, what will determine the success of the administration is not what is written in the Constitution, and definitely not what is written by the press, but the character and the vision of the leader," he said.