Ni NOEL ABUEL
Umapela si House Deputy Minority Leader at Bagong Henerasyon party list Rep. Bernadette Herrera sa mga kapwa nito mambabatas na suriin nang mas maingat ang pag-apruba sa House Bill 6398 na nagtatag ng Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF).
“The theory behind a sovereign wealth fund is very sound, and many developed countries have used it as an effective way to manage assets and pursue development projects,” sabi ni Herrera.
“With that being the case, the Philippines has the opportunity to model our own fund based on the successful best-practices of other nations. Unfortunately, even the source of funds of the MWF raises a number of serious questions,” dagdag nito.
Sa panukala, nagmumungkahi na ang Maharlika Wealth Fund ay manggagaling at kukunin sa mga kontribusyon mula sa Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), sa Social Security System (SSS), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), at Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
“A simple analogy would be this: imagine a cooperative fund that was put up by security guards, or delivery riders, for example. Would it make sense if these funds were used to benefit someone who was never a security guard or a delivery rider? Or how about the association dues of a private village or community? Can this be used to aid someone who never lived there, and never contributed to the pooled fund?” pag-uusisa pa ni Herrera.
Gayundin, dahil ang SSS at GSIS ay pinagsama-samang mga pondo na nakolekta mula sa mga rehistradong miyembro, sinabi ni Herrera na nararamdaman nito na ang paggamit sa pondo ng hindi miyembro at non-contributors ay maaaring isang paglabag sa kani-kanilang mga charter.
Pinayuhan din ni Herrera ang mga kasama nitong mambabatas na ang pangunahing layunin at layon ng iminungkahing MWF.
“Normally, there are two types of funds – one to manage surplus resources such as foreign exchange or natural resource revenues, and the other to manage state assets or to implement development projects. Singapore, for instance, has two SWFs: GIC to manage and invest its foreign exchange, and Temasek to operate state assets,” pahayag pa nito.
“Itong panukalang SWF ngayon eh parang pinaghalo ‘yung dalawang klaseng SWF, at naging chopsuey. Hindi malinaw ang direksyon ukol sa layunin. Dapat linawin kung ano ‘yung magiging priority ng SWF, saan eto mag-i-invest, at ano ang risk para sa perang pondo ng SWF,” tanong nito.
Binigyang-diin ng kinatawan ng Bagong Henerasyon ang emosyonal at pinansyal na epekto na sangkot sa pagkukunan ng pondo.
“We are talking about GSIS and SSS contributions here, which are quite literally something that countless Filipinos have worked all their lives to build. Retirees, the elderly, those who get sick, or injured on the job – they are counting on these funds to help them during difficult times,” ani Herrera.
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