Time for action is now

By Fr. Emeterio Barcelon, SJ

My friend Romeo Encarnacion in a recent article was asking how Europe can be competitive or, for that matter, the Philippines. He thought the Europeans were innovative but their objective was style and elegance while the Americans thrived on problem-solving in achieving objectives and comfort. The 2008 financial meltdown elicited two different reactions. Europe went into austerity while the US went to pumping money into the economy and low interest rates.

The Philippines did not go into austerity but neither did it make full use of the opportunity. It stayed with easy money but did not pump the money which could have jerked us out of the jobless doldrums that we are going through. I remember in the sixties Taiwan pumped money into the economy by cementing all the roads possible. (Which by the way is the only way to keep good roads is in the tropics with our torrential rains. Asphalt roads cannot last more than three or four years.) The past year has seen more cementing roads in Mindanao than ever but not enough. What are we afraid of? The money is there and it should be pumped into the economy to perk things up. I think we are pointed in the right direction but we are doing it oh so tentatively.  We are testing the temperature of the water with our toes rather than diving in.

We are doing well but we have to wake up.  Our statistics show that about a third of our population still suffer from intermittent hunger.  We have sent ten million of our people abroad to look for jobs as menial workers, breaking a good number of families. Why can we not be bold? In Keynesian economics, it is government spending that is within the control of a nation to get out of doldrums. We are afraid. We are afraid of corruption. We are afraid to fail. Or we are just inept and unable to set goals and pursue those goals?

We still have plenty of roads to cement, water and drainage systems to construct in almost every city in the country. We have other infra structures to build.  We are told that infra structures will be built but three years have already passed and there is not much being done but bickering.  Rail systems have to be built. No self-respecting city will not have an adequate rail system. The Manila elevated is God sent to a lot of people but already inadequate. Try riding it if you can without being smashed. Of course this is also true of other cities like Tokyo and others.

After the elections now is the time for some action.  I know of a group that is planning a magazine for action plans. That may not be enough. Everyone should do soothing to help our politicians fulfil their promises, to do something that will create jobs even if just a few. The Pangtawid Program has been a boon. Some are suggesting that we also initiate food for work programs just as Roosevelt did to get out of the depression and some of our politicians have tried.

The electric supply in Mindanao is a disaster. We need to bid out the large hydros of the government which had up to 2011 to be disposed of by law. And yet we are still dilly dallying to put them on the block. It is true that only the big boys will be able to bid but our big boys have been responsible, as with the experience with the water system of Manila.  If they are not then that is the time to check them but we must not be bamboozled into inaction.  Higher price for the electricity is infinitely better than the brown outs that are happening at present. We need to be bold a bit or a good bit. 

emeterio_barcelon@yahoo.com