ECONOMICS - REAL PROBLEM

Impeachment move versus the President 

Another impeachment case in the offing versus the Vice-President

Hanging bilateral ceasefire between the AFP and the NPA

Threat of another nationwide strike of the jeepneys versus modernization plans that will remove old models from the streets and replaced with electricity-run jeeps.

Housing problems where urban poor have decided to reside in homes that were awarded to soldiers

Continuing rise in basic services and food

Why are these happening to us? What kind of citizens will be shaped by these events? How would the tenure of the President be characterized after this? Was there a mistake in putting up a Mindanaoan president, followed by two other Mindanaoan leaders now controlling Congress and the Senate? Is this a case of differing regional perspectives in governance?

Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani who passed away last week, God Bless Her Soul- said that coupled with women joining the movement is not only to be there in order to garner rights and privileges but also to feel responsible towards their duties and obligations to society. And she emphasized the three principles of EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE which were the rallying cry during the Celebration of the End of the UN Decade for Women held in Nairobi, Kenya. 

I think that we have leaders whose hearts are in the right places -- for the people to gain freedom from poverty. 

However the method of achieving that does not seem to be in the right direction. 

As a broadcaster over DZXL said last night "Hindi ko alam ang economic program ng President."

I agree with that. all the issues that I have mentioned won't result in a country with happy citizens. The right direction is to pinpoint why the Filipino people are still very, very poor. 

Last Sunday, it was reiterated in the worship mass at the UP Church of the Risen Lord that the Abot Kayang Tanghalian is still ongoing and relies mostly on donations. The students, some 200 ++ of them are able to eat a balanced meal only for P10.00 and that's because of the subsidy. Even Chancellor Michael Tan has contributed to the feeding program. 

Christ had said three times to Simon Peter, son of John, "Feed my lambs, feed my lambs, feed my lambs." This is the take-off of the CRL feeding program. 

Why is it very important to have a feeding program at UP and most of all in all the schools and universities of the country?

The price of eating outside the home has become very expensive. A viand costs from P40 to P80 depending on the kind being served. A fried egg, which when bought raw costs only P4 to P5, would be sold for P15 to P20 when fried. A cup of rice is P15. Some restaurants do not even halve the price if you just ask for a half-cup. 

Then I met three young girls here along Aurora Boulevard, and asked them:

 "How much do you spend for lunch?" One said P60.00. "Is that a complete meal?" "No Ma'am, only one viand." 

"What do you buy, vegetables or meat?"

"Meat, Ma'am."

Folks, our economic problems are really terrible. With so much natural resources we have from Batanes to Sulu, -- sea and marine resources; fertile lands and mountains; we cannot even feed all the population, especially the young kids. Our young people are being forced to reduce their food desires to the most basic -- and that is only to fill up their stomach with meat which is really heavy yet less nutritious compared to veggies. 

"How much is your allowance? \"

"P100 po."

"And how much do you spend for fare?"

"P50.00."

"Why, that's P110.00. Yet your allowance is only P100. Where do you get the extra P10?"

And she said, "Nangungupit po ako sa bag ng Nanay ko."

Kathe Kolwitz, artist