No, it’s not sugar, salt or white onions. It’s about how we, as a people, have been sold out time and again by our “leaders,” which is why we have never been progressive as a nation. For that matter, this is also why we don’t have a national identity and a deep sense of patriotism and love for country.
The oligarchs continue to run the country. This is the uneasy and unholy alliance between the oligarchs, who control businesses directly and politics indirectly, through the use of proxies. There are those who have sucessfully mixed the two as well by developing their own bailiwicks. The best examples are the Villar and Gatchalian family’s.
Political dynasties which control provinces or entire regions is what replaced the Catholic Church as the feudal lords of the past. It’s natural that evolution has played its part in the process. Not all dynasties have survived the test of time but they have been replaced by new dynasties.
The Americans lorded it over the Philippines from 1898 through 2016. It was only when Duterte was elected President that a genuine independent foreign policy was implemented. Virtually all the President’s, from Manuel Roxas to Benigno Aquino III, took the “advise” of Uncle Sam when it came to the economy, politics and foreign relations.
We have now reached the tipping point because the plantation-style economy we have been running has been subsidized by OFWs and has evolved into a consumption-based economy. The problem is we can’t produce basic commodities efficiently. It’s cheaper to import from our regional neighbors.
Just look at the state of rice and sugar production in the country. It used to be that our regional neighbors relied on the Philippine Rice Research Institute for advanced studies and research and development. This doesn’t hold true anymore. Vietnam and Thailand are the leading exporters of rice and we buy stocks from them to augment our domestic production. The same is true with sugar.
The sugar import controversy has opened a canful of worms about the decrepit state of our sugar industry. This is the perfect example of how regulatory capture from the beginning has led to the point where prices aren’t set by market forces but by the industry players themselves.
Plantation-style economies are known for cartels and oligopolies. Since 1986, the drive for privatization has resulted in oligarchs controlling public utilities. This is why we have the second-highest power rates in the region. The regulatory capture has resulted in power generation companies being owned by power distributors as well. The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market isn’t really a market. It’s more of an old boy’s club just like the Philippine Stock Exchange, where insider trading thrives.
Unless the root cause of all the problems we face is addressed, it will never happen that the Philippines will be truly progressive as our regional neighbors. The consumption-driven economy is the best evidence that the oligarchs and politicians will continue to hold sway over the country.
In the meantime, government continues its descent into the pit of mediocrity. We have crisis upon crisis bedeviling us. There is the agricultural and education crises at the top of the list. Corruption continues to be the bane of our existence. There is no vision for the country’s direction. If we’re to become progressive then the economy should be opened up to foreigners in order for employment to be generated and capital investments made in manufacturing to take advantage of our natural resources.
We are a country without an identity. We don’t take pride in being Filipino. Instead we take pride in being citizens of more progressive countries. The Pinoy diaspora is spreading out across the globe. Those who don’t have the opportunity or skills to work abroad are on the prowl for AFAMs – A Foreigner Assigned to Manila. This presents an equal opportunity because it’s not limited to traditional man-woman relationships anymore but also covers same-sex relationships. It’s the Great Expat hunt for Filipinos to take advantage of.
It’s time that we wake up from our stupor and make our leaders accountable not only during an election cycle but every single day. Technology has made it possible for every single voice to be heard, or at least a greater number of the population, through social media platforms.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done as we also suffer from the malady of tribalism and factionalism. What’s worst is there is objective discussion of issues, particularly when it comes to the serious problems we face as a nation. Proof of this lack of critical thinking is how 15M Filipinos think that Leni Robredo is a great leader.
This is how and why the politicos and oligarchs continue to take advantage of us. Until such time that we are united in taking a stand against these power elites, it will never happen that the Philippines will become progressive. There will always be that glaring disparity not only between the rich and the poor but also the the rich and the middle class. We also have to contend with the entitled poor who believe it is the obligation of the government to provide them with safety nets. The same is true with the entitled rich who use regulatory capture and campaign funds to get what they want from government.
The global economic outlook is bleak. There will be more suffering in the coming days and it will get worst in the new year. We can’t afford to borrow and foreign direct capital investment is not coming our way. The burden will fall on the OFWs to support the economy with their remittances but the pain of inflation will still be there. There will be economic growth but it will not be equitable.
What we need is a leader who will break ranks, go against the status quo, level the playing field and strive for genuine progress for each and every Filipino.
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