Poverty and the Filipinos

THINKPIECE NO.1
Q: What is the most political, social or econmic issue/problem for you?
Poverty is still the biggest problem the Filipino people are facing these days. Poverty in this sense, is the continuous deterioration of the quality of life of the people, the problem of unemployment, and the unfair increase in prices of commodities while the laborer's salary remain inadequate. It is apparent that this economic problem is not new in the Philippine scenario. The Filipinos have always been confronted with different faces of poverty, and their optimistic nature often serves as a catalyst for them to endure such crisis. However, there are times that one's optimism is no longer enough to tolerate one's hunger and affliction. In this case, the people are becoming more critical with the way the government addresses the problems of the masses, which often leaves them with a feeling of disappointment and betrayal.
According to Pulse Asia's November 2002 Ulat ng Bayan Survey, the public responded that national economic re-covery, the great poverty of many Filipinos, the high prices of basic necessities and the low pay of workers are the most pressing economic problems of the country. Political and public safety concerns like peace in the country, government graft and corruption, widespread criminality and facing terrorism generally take a secondary position relative to the people's most urgent economic concerns. I am among them in believing that poverty is greatly felt in the daily lives of the Filipinos that its solution must be prioritized. However, any solution requires a definite course of action that would eradicate graft and corruption, a problem belonging to their secondary concerns. So with this, the government instead of dealing with the effects of poverty alone must dig deeper to the implicit causes of the problem. From what I am seeing right now, the government could only provide short-term remedy against poverty like cheaper goods sold in roaming vehicles which carries the name of the president, while targeting the causes that would bring a much longer effect on the lives of the people are often left out, intentionally or not. For instance, passing land reforms that would eventually distribute land ownership for our farmers would be more beneficial than a momentary watch on the prices of goods. Moreover, corruption has always been pointed out to be one of the causes why Filipinos never seem to get out of the rut of financial crisis. But the present administration seem to have poor actions against graft and corruption and at worst, the president and her close relatives are facing numerous scandals involving it.
It is very ironic that Filipino people are poor while in fact the Philippines are blessed with rich natural resources. The problem here lies in the distribution of these resources. Only a few could access the means that the Pearl of the Orient provide and in effect, these elite group of people monopolizes the wealth coming from our natural resources. Their control in our country is not limited in the economic aspect; they are also a dominant force in the political arena. Given this situation, vested personal interests are often associated with the government's decision making. Instead of being pro-poor, the government is passing bills that are considered burden to the people's lives. The bill pertaining to the VAT was easily passed while those concerning an increase in wage or salary would often undergo a slow paced process before it is granted.
Parallel to the paradox of poverty and the richness of our country in natural resources, is the absurdity that Filipinos are poor while we are basically considered to be talented and hardworking. As a result of the deteriorating quality of life of the people, education is often placed into second importance. It is conceivable that breadwinners would allot a bigger portion of one's salary for food and other necessary expenses like water and electricity. Because of this, education becomes more of a privilege rather than a right. The vast financial crisis is limiting the chances of the Filipinos to develop their potentials. Though possible, it would be harder for a Filipino to breakaway from all the limitations his economic status sets for him.
So what could be done to alleviate this pressing economic problem of the Filipinos? Honestly, I could not think of solutions that are not yet conceived by economists and other concerned people. The president have delivered her 10-point agenda last year. Her promises really are pleasant to the ear, however distrust still reigns on my mind. The government may present hundreds of poverty alleviation techniques but the most difficult part remains unpromising, the continual implementation of such methods.
Alleviating poverty in our country is a very arduous task. It would require a very long period of time before our economy could recover. Thus, it should not be of second priority to our government officials, for it is still the biggest burden affecting the lives of the Filipino people. Definite actions addressing poverty should start NOW.