Written By Romy Teruel, Columnist of Bohol Sunday Post
Long lines of people waiting for their turn to buy cheaper rice, increased prices of commodities at the grocery stores, skyrocketing pump prices of gasoline almost everyday, police blotters filled with complaints of snatching, pick pocketing, and hold-ups are signs of difficult times that the poor, especially, dread this time.
With salaries and wages remaining at their 2005 levels, minimum wage earners are almost at the brink of panic and despair. With tuition fees increasing, transport fare raised by P0.50 to P1, basic commodities costing more than they were yesterday, is there hope left for the man on the street?
The wage increase being deliberated by the regional tri-partite wage boards offered some hope. But after they came up with P25 increase, the last hope suddenly vanished. For government employees, the announcement by Pres. Arroyo of 10% across the board increase offered very little help. The increase will just be swallowed by the income tax.
Everybody can conveniently blame government for this crisis. Unfortunately government has very little to do to arrest the soaring prices. It's a world phenomenon that no single country can offer a solution.
Somehow the crisis has done some good. It awakened government to their weaknesses. And let's hope they make amends fast.
The fuel crisis has awakened the different economies to think of alternative sources of energies and develop new technologies.
The food crisis has awakened the Philippines to its most valuable but neglected resource - its agricultural lands. Agriculture that offered very competitive edge for the Philippines from the very beginning has been neglected in favor of turning these valuable assets into subdivisions and other purposes.
A country, like the Philippines, where almost 80% of the population is farmers should give priority in developing its agricultural resources. Sadly, while our neighbors send their students to study the latest in agriculture at our agricultural universities and research centers, we contented ourselves with producing swivel and arm-chair agriculturists.
Another sad part in Bohol is that irrigation projects like those in Bayongan, Capayas and Pilar that Gov. Erico B. Aumentado and his predecessors have championed to reality used to be opposed by groups claiming to be working for the welfare of farmers. Had the governor succumbed to nitpickers, our food situation in Bohol could have been worse than it is today.
So is there a way out of the crisis? No problem is without a solution for as long as people are willing to sacrifice. Hard times require sacrifices if we have to come out "alive."
First we can beat high transport fare by walking or biking to places we go like work, school, market, church, etc. Not only is walking free, it is also healthy for the body.
We can beat high costs of food items by buying and eating healthy but very cheap food like vegetable and fish. Fish is also costly but that is only if you buy them and not when you raise them.
For offices with windows, sunlight is free. No need to switch on the lights.
Overtime can also be prohibited. This will induce workers to be more productive during the 8-hour work per day.
For the family, spend only for the essentials. This will stretch the peso till the next salary.
There can be many more ways to beat the crisis. Let's just be more creative in tightening the belt, so to speak.
No comments:
Post a Comment