Romualdez: Congress eyes passage of bill allowing long-term land lease to foreigners

Congress will be prioritizing the passage of a bill providing long-term land lease to foreigners to attract investments as the Marcos administration hits its third year, Speaker Martin Romuladez said Wednesday.

“I’ll join Senate President Francis Escudero in his initiative on passing Foreign Investors Long-term Lease to attract foreign investors,” Romualdez said in a radio interview when asked what can the public expect during President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s third year in office.

“Hindi sila puwede bumili ng lupa, pero mahaba naman iyong [terms of] lease nila sa lupa. From 50 years, it (the lease agreement) could reach about 99 years, so the investors will be able to have a long-term plan and we want them to be encouraged by this. At the same time, walang binebenta na sarili nating lupa sa mga dayuhan,” Romualdez added.

(Foreigners still can't buy land but they can have it on lease on longer terms. We are not selling our land to foreigners.)

Under the Philippine Constitution, foreigners are prohibited to own land.

During the same radio interview, Romualdez said imposing a total ban will not address POGO-related crimes. 

“I have a simple take on POGO. We have a law for it, it was approved by Congress, it is under regulations [by state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor)]. To POGOs, sumunod kayo sa batas, bayaran ninyo iyong buwis,” he said.

“Kapag sumunod ka, okay kayo. Pero kung lumabag sa batas, dapat i-ban ‘yan. Dapat ikulong o i-deport mo ‘yan. Kung total ban, mag-uunderground ‘yan kasi mukhang malakas ang demand eh. Sundin na lang natin iyong batas, iyon ang panghawakan natin: iyong law enforcement at regulation,” he added.

(If you ban POGO, they will just go underground because it seems there is significant demand. Just follow the law and that our law enforcement and regulatory body should deliver.) 

In addition, Romualdez said the Marcos administration is not antagonizing China in calling out Beijing over its aggression, including bolo and water cannon attacks to Philippine vessels and military and coast guard personnel.

“Mali ang China. Mali ang ginagawa ng China. We have the arbitral ruling [on our side], and the world is with us on this. Magpapabully ba tayo? Hindi. We have to tell China that they should stop their aggressive stance,” he said.

Romualdez was referring to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration July 2016 ruling which rejected China’s nine dash line claim.

The same Hague court ruling declared the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank) as within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. In addition, it deemed Bajo de Masinloc, locally known as Scarborough shoal, as a common fishing ground.

China, however, does not recognize the ruling to this day.

“The President said we are a friend to all and an enemy to none. This is not a pivot to the United States. Ang ginawa ni Presidente, binalanse lang niya. Kasi iyong dating administrasyon, ‘yan ang pivot. Sabi pa niya, maging probinsiya na lang tayo ng China. Happy na tayo. Papayag ba tayo na maging Tsino na lang tayo? Hindi,” Romualdez added.

(The President just struck a balance here. The previous administration is the who made the pivot and even said we will be better off as a Chinese province, that we will happy with that. Are we okay with being Chinese? No.)

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.—AOL, GMA Integrated News