“We want to revive the ‘Filipino First’ policy not only in the shipping industry but in the food industry as well. We tend to be less dependent on importation and patronize more local products and services,” dagdag ni Lacson.

Paliwanag pa ni Lacson, kung bubuksan ang shipping industry sa 100-percent ownership sa halip na 60-40 local-foreign sharing na pinapayagan sa ating Konstitusyon, papatayin nito ang ating local shipping industry.

Dagdag pa ng presidential candidate, may desisyon ang Korte Suprema noong 2003 na nagtuturing sa public utility bilang isang industriya o sektor na regular na nagbibigay sa publiko ng mahahalagang serbisyo.

Ani Lacson, ito ang kanyang posisyon hinggil sa Public Services Act na tinatalakay sa Senado.

“I am taking the position that we should not open up our transport service to 100% ownership. That’s clearly a public utility regularly supplying the public with services,” giit ni Lacson.

Sinabi naman ni Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III – na tumatakbo sa pagka-Bise Presidente sa ilalim ng Nationalist People’s Coalition – na ang shipping ay nananatiling public utility at hindi kasama sa listahan ng mga “liberalized” na industriya o sektor.

Sa kabilang banda, sinabi naman ni Lacson na kung bubuksan ang ating shipping sector sa full foreign ownership, “imagine how many ships can be sent to the West Philippine Sea not only within our exclusive economic zone but in the 12-nautical mile limit.”

“Where will our fishermen go? As it is now, it is a national security and food security problem. I hope majority of our colleagues will be convinced to support our position along with the position of Sen. Ralph Recto,” diin ni Lacson.

“We will fight for it,” dagdag nito.

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