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National Federation of Hog Farmers etc. vs. BOI etc.

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF HOG FARMERS, INC., REPRESENTED BY MR. DANIEL P. JAVELLANA, ABONO PARTY­LIST INC., REPRESENTED BY ROSENDO SO, ALYANSA NG MGA GRUPONG HALIGI NG AGHAM AT TEKNOLOHIYA PARA SA MAMAMAYAN, INC., REPRESENTED BY CONG. ANGELO B. PALMONES, JR., AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ALLIANCE OF THE PHIL., INC., REPRESENTED BY CONG. NICANOR BRIONES, PORK PRODUCERS FEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES, INC., REPRESENTED LOPEZ, BY MR. RICO GERON, SOROSORO IBABA DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIVE, REPRESENTED BY DR. ANGELITO D. BAGUI, ASSOCIATION OF PHIL. AQUA FEEDS MILLERS, INC., REPRESENTED BY MR. NAPOLEON G. CO, PETITIONERS, VS. BOARD OF INVESTMENTS, LUCITA P. REYES, FELICITAS AGONCILLO-REYES, EFREN V. LEAÑO, AND RAUL V. ANGELES, PHILIPPINES CORPORATION, IN THEIR CAPACITY AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD OF INVESTMENTS, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF BOI, AND CHAROEN POKPHAND FOODS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 205835 | 2020-06-23

EN BANC
 

DECISION
 
LEONEN, J.:
 
Nationalism is not a mindless ideal. It should not unreasonably exclude people of a different citizenship from participating in our economy. If it were so, nationalism will not foster social justice; rather, it will sponsor a kind of racism quite like what our ancestors had suffered from in our colonial past.

While the Constitution does not bar foreign investors from setting up shop in the Philippines, neither does it encourage their unbridled entry. Thus, it has empowered Congress to determine which areas of investment to reserve to Filipinos and which areas may be opened to foreign investors.

The...