Cha-cha Con: Alfredo Garbin’s Sanctimonious Sellout Spectacular

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — July 25, 2025

IN THE sordid circus of Philippine politics, where sanctimony and self-interest perform a grotesque tango, Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. struts forth with his Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 1, peddling a corporate fire sale as a “moral duty.” It’s a performance so brazen it deserves a standing ovation for gall alone.

Garbin claims amending the 1987 Constitution to let foreign conglomerates gobble up public utilities, schools, and media is a sacred quest to free Filipinos from poverty’s shackles. How noble of a congressman—whose peers treat public coffers like personal ATMs—to find morality in auctioning off the nation’s soul.

Let’s rip apart this farce with gusto.

The Sanctimonious Swindle of ‘Moral Duty’

Garbin’s “moral duty” shtick is a masterstroke of Orwellian theater. He wails that the Constitution’s 60-40 equity rule for utilities and education, and 100% Filipino ownership of media, are antiquated chains on progress. Unleash foreign capital, he preaches, and prosperity will shower all. But why does this “duty” so perfectly mirror the wet dreams of multinationals eyeing Manila’s power grids?

These rules aren’t dusty relics; they’re firewalls against neo-colonial plunder. Yet Garbin, with the zeal of a snake-oil salesman, insists that handing over critical infrastructure to global sharks is akin to feeding the poor.

Then there’s his West Philippine Sea clause, a patriotic sleight-of-hand to sugarcoat the sell-off. By enshrining maritime claims in the Constitution, Garbin poses as a sovereignty superhero. The irony is richer than a dynast’s offshore account: his amendments could let Chinese state-linked firms—like cousins of the China State Grid—snap up the nation’s power supply.

Picture Manila defending its seas while Beijing-controlled utilities pull the plug during a standoff. Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port fiasco, leased to China for 99 years after a debt trap, screams caution. Garbin’s moral compass points straight to corporate penthouses, not the Filipino masa.

Trojan Horse Tactics: Cha-cha’s Sneaky Sequel

Garbin swears RBH 1 is a chaste economic reform, unsullied by political filth like term extensions or federalism. It’s just a “calibrated” nudge to boost foreign direct investment (FDI), he coos. But in the Philippines, where constitutional tweaks are catnip for political cockroaches, this vow is as believable as a dynast’s retirement speech.

The 1973 Constitution under Marcos Sr. was tweaked for “economic progress,” only to cement authoritarian rule. Garbin himself concedes that political amendments could follow, like a bad movie sequel nobody bought tickets for.

His choice of Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass)—a cozy club where 316 House members can steamroll 24 senators and dodge public scrutiny—reeks of elite rigging. Why not a Constitutional Convention (ConCon) with elected delegates? Because that might let the plebs crash the party.

The “economic-only” facade is a Trojan horse polished with neoliberal gloss. Pulse Asia’s 2024 surveys show 88% of Filipinos reject Cha-cha, with 74% wanting the Constitution untouched—up from 31% last year. The public smells the rot, and they’re spot-on.

Con-Ass, with its murky joint-or-separate voting debate, lets the House bulldoze the Senate, paving the way for dynastic mischief. Garbin’s promises are as solid as a campaign pledge in Tondo.

The Poor Get Screwed (Again)

Garbin’s gospel is pure trickle-down tripe: let foreign titans like Enron’s heirs run water or telecoms, and jobs and cheap services will cascade to the masses. Oh, please. Privatization’s track record is a horror show for the poor.

In Bolivia, Bechtel’s water privatization in 2000 jacked rates so high families spent a fifth of their income on water, sparking riots. In the Philippines, Meralco’s layoffs post-privatization axed informal workers, not inefficiencies.

Foreign utilities, free from universal-service mandates, could hike tariffs—already devouring 10-15% of poor households’ budgets—forcing families to ration electricity or water. “Moral duty”? More like a moral mugging.

Education? Garbin dreams of Harvard franchises sprinkling scholarships on the poor. But global universities charge global fees—think $20,000 a year, not P20,000. The poor will be shunted to crumbling public schools while elites sip lattes at Ivy League outposts.

Media? Foreign ownership could turn airwaves into CNN clones, sidelining land-reform cries for clickbait and elite ads. Community radio? Only if it hawks luxury condos. The poor, as ever, will pay the price for Garbin’s “progress,” their voices drowned, their wallets gutted.

Fixes That Bite Back

If Garbin’s serious about a Cha-cha that doesn’t shaft Filipinos, he’d back reforms with claws.

Adopt Justice Carpio’s reciprocity clauses: No foreign firm owns Philippine utilities unless Filipinos can own theirs abroad—no more neo-colonial garage sales.
Scrap Con-Ass for a ConCon: Elected, non-politician delegates, capped by a 60% plebiscite hurdle to block elite hijinks.
Lock in universal-service obligations: Cap tariffs, mandate rural access, and fine profit-gougers.
Funnel FDI proceeds into 4Ps or free tuition: Not tax breaks for multinationals.

A real “Cha-cha for the People” would shield Filipinos, not just fatten their exploiters.

RBH 1 Bingo Card: Spot the Sham

Square	Why It’s There
Touts Singapore, Ignores Temasek	Garbin worships Singapore’s “model” but skips its state-owned Temasek controlling key sectors.
Swears No Term Limits (Wink)	Every Cha-cha since Ramos flirts with political tweaks.
“FDI Saves All” Fantasy	Sri Lanka’s Hambantota debt trap begs to differ.
West Philippine Sea as Patriotic Bait	A symbolic clause to cloak the corporate giveaway.
“Moral Duty” Sermon	Sanctimony to justify selling the nation’s soul.

Parting Zinger

Garbin’s “moral duty” is a tired script: peddle the nation’s assets as salvation, then stick the poor with the tab. The only thing outdated isn’t the Constitution—it’s the fantasy that Filipinos can’t spot this scam a mile away.

RBH 1 isn’t a moral awakening; it’s a neoliberal hymn crooned by elites who’ve never felt the sting of a blackout or the weight of an empty pocket. Filipinos deserve a Constitution that guards their future, not one that sells it to the highest bidder.

Key Citations

China State Grid: Highlights risks of foreign control over critical infrastructure.
Hambantota Port Fiasco: Council on Foreign Relations details Sri Lanka’s debt-trap lesson.
New York Times, 2018: How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port
1973 Constitution: Official Gazette on Marcos-era amendments as a cautionary tale.
GMA News, 2024: 88% of Filipinos against Cha-cha —Pulse Asia survey
Pulse Asia Surveys: Public opinion data showing 88% opposition to Cha-cha in 2024 (PDF).
Bechtel’s Bolivia Water Crisis: Global Issues on privatization’s impact on the poor.
Agua, Ríos y Pueblos, 2009: The Fight Against the Privatisation of Water in Cochabamba – Bolivia – The Cochabamba protests successfully overturned water privatization after violent government repression.
Meralco Layoffs: Philstar report on job losses post-privatization.
World Bank, November 30, 199: Philippines
Power Sector Study – Privatization risks higher tariffs, job losses, and regulatory failures.
Temasek Singapore: Singapore’s state-owned model Garbin ignores.
Charter Change History: Rappler’s timeline of Cha-cha’s political baggage.