Sunday, December 28, 2014

On Economy and Politics: Let's make things right to win the future

By:  Rafael Alunan III
Reposted from his FB notes dated Dec. 28, 2014

Our macroeconomy ended on a high note.  Business growth was sustained despite the effects of man-made and natural disasters in 2013.  According to the Oxford Business Group in its December 26, 2014 on-line report:

Economic growth surpassed government targets well before the end of 2014.  It was driven by strong foreign direct investment (FDI), overseas remittances and expansion in real estate, business process outsourcing (BPO) and mining sectors. The World Bank estimates GDP growth of 6.4% in 2014 and 6.7% in 2015, vis-a-vis 7.25% in 2013, due to weak government consumption and a decline in infrastructure spending. The IMF and investment analysts see growth around or below the 6% mark in 2015.”

But here’s the rub. In its 2011 report entitled “Family Income Distribution in the Philippines from 1985 to 2009″ the Social Weather Stations (SWS) cited that high income AB classes account for only 1% of total population, which, according to the CIA Fact Book estimates to be 1.077-million as of July 2014.  That 1% translates to around 1.08-million privileged Filipinos.  9% of total population, or the middle class, belong to Class C, or approximately 9.7-million people.

 Six (6) out of every 10 Filipinos, or 60% of total population, or approximately 64.6-million Filipinos belong to Class D, or the“masa”. The poorest segment, Class E, also comprises a big chunk - around 30% of Filipinos – undoubtedly confirming that poverty remains prevalent in the Philippines.  The numbers indicate that a wide gap continues to divide the rich and the poor, and that trickle down economics is exactly that, which never reduced poverty.

90% of the population live just above, along and below the poverty line. They’re perennially short of cash to make both ends meet, or for savings and investments. Quality of life falls short of the mark – in housing, health and education; job security, food, water and electricity services; or combinations thereof.  Limited opportunities handicap them for employment or entrepreneurship, hence the diaspora. Inclusivity is the simplest answer but this has not gained traction.

There’s more data that the Philippines has remained an oligarchy. Carmen Pedrosa’s column in a national daily cites the following sources:
  • De La Salle University Dean Julio Teehankee reports that 178 family dynasties rule 73 of the 80 provinces.
  • Bobby Tuazon, Policy Studies Director of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance, reports that 21 of 24 seats in the Senate fall under the control of political families; while in the House of Representatives, 80% of 229 seats are dominated by dynasties.
  • A 2014 study by Ronald Mendoza, AIM Policy Center Director, shows 75% of members of Congress and 80% of governors and mayors belong to political dynasties.
  • Forbes magazine lists the 40 richest billionaires in the Philippines as having combined assets of $34 billion.
  • A 2012 study by the World Bank shows 25.2% of Filipinos living below the poverty line of $1.25 a day, while the CIA’s was higher at 26.5%.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis condemned the “economy of exclusion” as he called for “worldwide ethical mobilization” citing the indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society” as ways to combat poverty. He urged the U.N. to promote development goals that attack the root causes of poverty and hunger; protect the environment; and ensure dignified labor for all. He articulates the issues that people around the world think and talk about such as economic justice, income disparities and poverty.

Robert Christian wrote in Time magazine that Pope Francis’ tweet about inequality is the wake up call we all need. “It challenges us to fully recognize the equality of all and create conditions that reflect a total commitment to human dignity.  There is a common root to most (or perhaps all) grave forms of social injustice: the rejection of human equality and the influence of this rejection on human relationships and institutions.”

“Human persons are fundamentally equal in their worth and dignity. A person’s worth is not dependent on their lineage, how they fit in some utopian scheme, how much they produce or consume, their autonomy or independence, or their race, intelligence, age, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Human worth is innate and cannot be forfeited. And it is equal in each person.”

That means to me that people who wield political, economic and information power should seek innovative ways and means for ensuring that every person has access to those needs that are necessary for human flourishing. The elite need to open their eyes to the gravity of the threat economic inequality and injustice poses to human dignity and the common good.

A Princeton study on “who really rules” says that American democracy no longer exists.  Researchers Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page argue that America's political system has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy in the past few decades, “rich, well-connected individuals on the political scene now steer the direction of the country, regardless of, or even against the will of the majority of voters.”

Like in the Philippines, access to opportunities and resources are cornered by the best, at the expense of the rest, resulting in income inequality, a widening gap between the haves and have-nots, and social conflict.  John F. Kennedy warned about this in his inaugural speech half a century ago. Pope Francis is shaking the tree today. Business groups like the Management Association of the Philippines are championing inclusivity as the antidote to the widening inequality gap and the key to reducing poverty.

We're chained to slavish conditions where most of the benefits of political power and economic growth are cornered by the 1% while most of the costs of bad governance and bad performance are borne by the rest of society. In a country where 90+% are supposedly Christian, nowhere are actual conditions reflective of our faith and Jesus Christ's teachings for mankind to love one another. We have behaved badly, failing to care, share and dare for each other, because we've placed self-interest above the common good.

2015 promises to be another banner year with superb opportunities for inclusivity.  The country’s one percent must function as real elite by acting beyond their vested interests to lift the nation higher and higher, with the long-term goal of leaving no one behind – all for one, one for all! 

Creating new wealth, enlarging the economic pie, and equitable distribution of the benefits is the way to go. It’s time we take our country back from bad behavior, make things right and fight with all our might for the future of succeeding generations.

God bless us all in 2015!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Respectable Public Servants Deserve Public Support

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd Quezon, CALABARZON\

I want to borrow and share the sentiments of Jude Ocampo via Jess Lorenzo who mentioned in his fb post that he feels sorry for our honest public servants. The public demands that they be visible - which is perfectly understandable since seeing competent men and women directing govt efforts does provide some comfort. But when people like Sec. MAR risk life and limb to lead crisis management efforts on the ground, they are rewarded by cynicism and ridicule. Kung hindi ka magnanakaw sa gobiyerno, dapat yata santo or masochist ka. Can't we just see this for what it is - an honest public servant doing his job?

In government service, seldom that honest public servants got noticed, recognized, and even rewarded by the public and most importantly by peers. If you profess and practice righteousness in the work place either some would despise you, reject you and like Sec. Mar, ridicule you behind your backs. Your contemporaries may even consider you as a threat. May be that is because, the crab mentality is so grossly embedded in our psychic- bad for a nation dreaming to be progressive and great.

Most of the time, if you think out of the box, radical in your approach meaning highly analytical weighing things and putting it in a balance, and most of all disciplinarian or strict, you could be unpopular, or less liked.  Rest assured that nobody will recognize your efforts, they may do so once you have left, worst, none at all. You could be excused  unless you possess an above average, not ordinary, or even extraordinary appeal and aura, but still do expect negativity for there is a saying, you couldn't please everybody.

This is the very reason that most of our best people as much as possible avoid government service. They rather work and serve in an NGO than in government or worst, in the corporate world and just help in other ways. The bad side about it is that the unknowing public, 'the masses' are left with no other alternative. Then we will be annoyed by mediocre government services!

If we, the public, want a good and ultimately the best public service that we want from the government, we should ask ourselves first, what kind of citizen am I?  In my own little ways, aside from being both direct and indirect tax payers, what, contributions do I make towards the society?  If I would be given the opportunity to serve in the government, can I do the kind of public service I want from them?

People in government, particularly the righteous and respected ones, deserve our support and not the other way around so as encourage them to continue and not be eaten up by the bad system.  Our failure, is our great loss for there are already too few of them in government now.  Their tribe should increase, and its we who are in the best position to make it a reality.  After, all, in a larger picture, WE THE PEOPLE, IS THE GOVERNMENT.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)

Friday, December 5, 2014

Typhoon Ruby's Two to Three-day Forecast, Tracks and Position

UPDATED 12pm today 12-8-2014:  STY Hagupit (Ruby) has been downgraded into a tropical storm and is now rampaging the sea near the island of Marinduque Province in Region IV-B,  

As of 11 am Monday, the eye of the storm was located 20 kilometers east of Torrijos, Marinduque, with maximum sustained winds of 105 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 135 km/h. The storm's diameter has become smaller, now just 450 kilometers across, and moderate to heavy rainfall is expected by places under this area. Rappler reported. 

Ruby is still moving 10kmh west north west but slightly changed its course upwards.  It instead of having landfall at northern Mindoro, it will be hitting Batangas Province, 6-8pm. With the distance of Batangas to Metro Manila, it is expected that the place will be experiencing heavy rains and strong winds

Currently, except Metro Manila, signal # 3 is up over Regions IV-A and B including Lubang Islands.
New path of Ruby as of 11am.  Image Courtesy of PAG-ASA-DOST

As of 11am, Ruby is located at  20 km east of Torrijos, Marinduque, 13.3°N, 122.3°E, Maximum sustained winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, it is expected to be 85 km Southwest of Quezon City and 295km Southwest of Quezon City by Thursday.  It's movement slightly increased from 10-13km/hr, West, North-West.

Estimated rainfall amount is from 5 – 15 mm per hour (moderate – heavy) within the 450 km diameter of the typhoon.

 "RUBY" and the Northeast Monsoon will cause rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas. Fisherfolks and those using small sea craft are advised not to venture out over the said seaboards.

Expected to Exit PAR: Wednesday evening.

Sources:  DOST-PAGASA and RAPPLER