Gov't evaluating impact of global financial crisis on security
The government is monitoring the impact of the world financial crisis on the security situation of the country, according to National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales.
Gonzales who was here yesterday for a forum said while the country appears to be not as affected by the crisis that has pushed into bankruptcy big companies and banks in the United States and other developed economies, the country's economy will be also affected.
"We expect that our overseas workers will be affected because of job cuts abroad and this might also affect foreign remittances," Gonzales said in an interview.
Organizations of migrant workers have earlier warned that employers of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) would be opting to terminate their employees as the economy worldwide is expected to dampen for at least the next few years due to the crisis in the US and other leading economies.
Business groups especially exporters also see tougher times ahead because of the countries experiencing the brunt of the crisis like the US and Japan are also the main markets of Philippine products.
Gonzales said they are regularly evaluating the situation to prevent anti-government groups from "exploiting" the situation.
"They always everything and even turn government's positive accomplishment as negative. So we are prepared," said Gonzales.
In a statement issued last October, the Communist Party of the Philippines said the current crisis "provides excellent conditions for revolutionary upsurge as the working class and other oppressed and exploited people all over the world who have been pushed to the wall have no other recourse but to further intensify their revolutionary struggles and advance their interests."
It called on its forces to recruit more members and heighten their struggles. It also said that its armed wing, the New People's Army, launch more offensives against government forces .
Gonzales said the government does not expect to armed hostilities to intensify after the Supreme Court trashed a controversial memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain between the government and Moro rebels.
He said the international community especially Muslim countries will disapproved of any violence coming from the Moro Islamic Front and would prefer negotiations and dialogues.
But he said the attitude of the government now is to focus on seeking dialogue with various sectors and communities instead of dealing directly with rebel groups.
Gonzales also downplayed the impact of the latest filing of an impeachment complaint against President Macapagal-Arroyo.
"It will not prosper because even the opposition is not solid behind the move. So we don't expect it to become a security threat," he said.