Press Release
December 10, 2019

"KARAPATAN BAGO KITA"
*Statement of Akbayan Sen. Risa Hontiveros on the Commemoration of International Human Rights Day

Malinis na tubig, murang kuryente, serbisyong pangkalusugan na sapat at abot kaya -- ito ay bahagi ng karapatang pantao ng bawat Pilipino. Water, electricity and basic medicines should be regulated vis a vis the monopoly and control of the oligarchs, big business, and foreign interests.

"Oligarchy is oligarchy is oligarchy"

Mitigating corporate greed in the water industry is not solved by taking water concession agreements from one oligarchy and giving them to another. What is needed is to scrutinize all water concession agreements entered into with private companies and undertake a strategic review of the government's overall privatization policy in basic utilities.

"Ginigisa sa sariling mantika"

Chinese involvement in the power sector through the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines raises troubling national security concerns. Even more troubling is the information surfacing that NGCP has raked in billions of pesos via an onerous concession agreement and passes on the burden to consumers. Ginigisa tayo sa sariling mantika: mahal na nga ang kuryente, exposed pa ang pambansang seguridad sa China.

"Basic medicines and affordable health care are a human right"

Likewise, profit should not trump the right to healthcare, especially during national health emergencies. We must not allow pharmaceutical companies to compromise the people's access to essential medicines and treatment. Government should exercise the price control powers granted to it under the Cheaper Medicines Law and curb the greed of pharmaceutical companies.

Water is a human right. Access to affordable electricity is a human right. Health is a human right. Walang sinuman ang may karapatan sa bilyun-bilyong kita. Pero lahat tayo may karapatang mabuhay nang may dignidad, seguridad, at ginhawa.

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