Opinion
Posted on November 08, 2015 10:36:00 PM
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| The launching of Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) President Calixto “Toti” V. Chikiamco’s book, The Way Forward: The Path to Inclusive Growth, in National Book Store, Glorietta, Makati City on Aug. 26 with Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, FEF Senior Advisers former Prime Minister Cesar A. Virata and Dr. Gerardo P. Sicat, and Fellows of the FEF. |
This latest book of my fellow Introspective columnist, Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) President Calixto “Toti” V. Chikiamco is making the rounds of government and policy circles. I learned Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr. ordered 300 copies to give to congressmen. The candidates to high office in 2016 would do well to read his thematic compilation of his best columns in BusinessWorld.
Allow me to share my remarks on the occasion of its launch, and talk about as well of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF).
Thank you, Toti, on behalf of our Chairman Roberto “Bobby” F. de Ocampo, and all the other Fellows for your kind dedication of this volume to us. And your resolute dedication to FEF as its President and chief executive officer since 2011.
The genesis of FEF goes back to early ’90s, when our Chairman, Sir Bobby de Ocampo, was Finance Secretary. FEF’s philosophy was shaped by the circumstances and govt thinking of that time -- the unleashing of private sector energies through market friendly reforms and good governance. Indeed this is thinking that traces back to reforms from an earlier period was pushed by former Prime Minister Cesar Virata and former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dr. Gerardo “Gerry” P. Sicat.
FEF started as an impromptu dinner club of like-minded people who came from different careers, but found themselves united by common cause on orphaned issues of the day. I recall the catalyst was the P1-per-liter Leung Levy in early ’90s which was opposed by everyone -- communists, rightist putschists, some business groups like the Federation of Philippine Industries, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, you name it.
All except for guys who in their individual capacities were writing, talking, pushing for this necessary measure to stabilize the country’s fiscal situation and nurture development. These guys who then decided to meet every now and then for dinners, KKB or with a rotating host, to see how they might be listened to more, how to educate the public, especially legislators and policy makers, and how they might help reformers inside government who badly need support and encouragement.
These impromptu dinners, included from government -- we in the Department of Finance (DoF) -- Ernest Leung, later Bobby De Ocampo, and at National Economic and Development Authority -- Cayetano “Dondon” W. Paderanga, Jr. The academe/University of the Philippines School of Economics then dean Felipe M. Medalla, Raul V. Fabella, Ruping Alonzo, Dante B. Canlas. From the private sector, civil society -- former Prime Minister Cesar A. Virata, Mahar K. Mangahas, Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr., the late Francisco Varela, Alexander R. Magno, Bong Montes, Simon Paterno, Tony Abad, Alan Ortiz, and Toti Chikiamco.
Although it was Mahar Mangahas -- a University of Chicago alumnus at heart -- who gave FEF its name and ex-DoF guys who made funding from bilateral grants happen, it was Toti who was the most consistent, persistent, and coherent as a public intellectual. His weekly columns which had a strong following among “shakers and movers” as one official termed it, contributed much to shed light, provide broader perspective on the issues of the day. He likewise lent his pen to the various advocacies of the FEF.
These FEF advocacies have met with various degrees of success over the years. With its fellows “raging incrementalists” at heart, FEF took such setbacks under Philippine political conditions as a part of the game.
Such efforts and FEF batting scores/contribution in the reform efforts included pushing “good to haves” like adjustments in excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol (check), reform of the value-added tax (check), liberalization of retail trade (question mark), privatization/public-private partnership, notably the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (check), opening up the economy to foreign investments (question mark), property rights (check with success in land patent distribution), peace and development in Muslim Mindanao (question mark).
And trying to put a stop or expose such flawed policies/programs like wasteful subsidies for National Power Corp. (check), National Food Authority (cross), extension of a failed Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (check), central oil procurement by government (check), an overly generous feed-in tariffs for renewable energy (partly check).
More recently, President Toti brought the FEF from advocacy to hard core development work in the area of property rights.
Thanks to him and FEF’s land rights team, the number of free patents awarded to beneficiaries leaped from just only 3000 to 60,000 titles annually by working with the Department of Natural Resources and Local Government Unit partners.
On Toti’s book, The Way Forward: The Path to Inclusive Growth, FEF’s Chairman, former Finance Secretary, Bobby de Ocampo, has this to say: “There are some who may think of economists as theoretical and obscure. Others may view them as simultaneously argumentative and detached. Not so economist Calixto “Toti” Chikiamco. Anyone who reads his book compiling his numerous articles and opinion pieces will probably think instead of adjectives like engaging, committed, courageous, and patriotic yet also global.
“Often one can feel his frustration at the country’s seeming inability to rise above mediocrity brought in no small way by political leadership that is self-serving, myopic, small minded and hypocritical, not to mention of course corrupt and bereft of vision. But still, one can equally sense his undying hope that a better day will inevitably come.”
Our Senior Adviser, Dr. Gerry Sicat, captured in a thoughtful testimonial in the book the essence of why Toti refers to himself as a political economist in the tradition of Smith and Ricardo: “[Thus] economic problems involve the political process in order to correct them. This is one reason some of the essays carry on a political side. Solutions require convincing government and the men who compose and make decisions. The topics range from politics and economics in the large, to development issues in the small -- constitutional change, entrepreneurship, national security, wages, income and social inequity, poverty, land rights, property rights.”
For those who only know Toti from his column, you should be aware that Toti has a day job as an Internet entrepreneur. This has enriched his writings even more -- perhaps just as hardships and ordeals contribute to the shaping of an artist?
This synergy between public intellectual and grounded entrepreneur is summed up well by former Chairman of SGV group, also a Fellow and Trustee of FEF -- Glo Tan Climaco: “Toti is an economist who passionately loves his country. He is also a businessman who competes and has to survive in the real world. This rare combination makes his essays very compelling reading for me. I find his observations and suggestions realistic and practical. Many times I learn new ideas. This book has gems of wisdom.”
Toti Chikiamco’s book, The Way Forward: The Path to Inclusive Growth, is available in branches of National Book Store.
Romeo Bernardo is Philippine advisor of GlobalSource Partners and is a Board Director of the Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis.
romeo.lopez.bernardo@gmail.com
