Ang Manlilikha

By Paul Pruel/Riyadh, KSA

Poverty injects pains and hardships to people and country. This condition hovers over many lands, and there are millions of children around the world who are malnourished, cannot attend school, dying for food and no shelter to house them.

This social phenomenon cannot be prevented alone through unending debate between the feuding politicians.

Cheating, too much Politicking, addiction to Drugs, addiction to Gambling, addiction to Alcohol, and Corruptions of some of our Officials are some of the many reasons to mention why poverty in Philippines is distinct.

Cheaters are not discouraged because no one stands up to be called upon to account for their actions. We tolerated and disregarded these wrongs and we do not care about them, so cheaters are continuing cheating.

In politics, cheating there is so rampant. Politicians are fighting for power and are using the innocent masses to acquire it. And the one who are paying the price for this are the poor people and the country.

Election period is still very far but some of our officials and other politicians are now campaigning – using the press and other media tools such as, television, radio, cyber, celfon and other advertising facilities while spending millions of pesos.

Addiction to drugs like cocaine, solvent, shabu, marijuana and other substances or liquid drugs is an epidemic disease happening in the countryside. It victimizes our children and the young students as well. That even the highest authorities are getting the difficulty to stop the problem.

Playing at a game of chance for money or other stakes while ignoring the true outcome of gambling are putting ourselves and our future to a risky situation. This addiction of gambling if not controlled will destroy the good relationship between husband and wife.

Addiction to alcohol is also one of the many reasons for poverty. It is believed that alcohol is a common enemy. Although selling of alcohol is a good business. However, the worse thing about the stuff, it damages and demoralizes the moral and the good character of the person addicted to it including those who make it and those who sell it.

When democracy was restored in 1986 corruption was also democratized. The Filipino people had learned the way of journalistic declaration that their leaders were corrupts, starting from Marcos down to the present administration. This added to the current overflow we see in electoral politics too, many want to engage in politics, as they believed it is the only way to earn, barring moral application of hard work in legitimate business.  

Our government should address the following problems with immediate actions.

UNEMPLOYMENT: Every year our country produces thousands of graduates and the labor market could not accommodate them. And the best option is to look jobs out from the country and it is through working overseas.

Working abroad is an ally for those who are fortunate enough to have good jobs and considerable employers. Through their earnings, they were able to build a house and able to send their children to school. However, it becomes a foe for the sexually abused and maltreated domestic helpers. But despite all this, the overseas contract workers are patiently working hard because it is for love for their families and country.

HUNGER – is a compelling need for food and drinking water. This is the basic result of poverty because no job to come by, no food, and clean drinking water on the table, resulting of an acute anxiety, pain or sorrow that the poor people are struggling everyday.

EDUCATION – many of our young children are unable to acquire education in school, colleges and universities because the parents have no capabilities to send them to school – they lack of the means to support them.

SHELTER – the truth really hurts to see hundred of our brothers and sisters living on shanties, under the bridges and along the trail-way in the city of Manila.

Because of pain brought about by poverty, these poor people died by SUICIDES, INSANITY, IGNORANCE and DISTRESS.

We cannot stop poverty but we can reduce it: We should stop from cheating, stop too much politicking; go away from drug, gambling and alcohol. Be a God-fearing citizen. Forget our differences and unite to cure our country of its debilitating ills. We should stop bickering among ourselves and leveling accusations against our leader that will only add to the chaos/tension and fear. Limit demonstrations and rallies, all that we do is to add to the fear of investors depriving ourselves of the investments needed to kick-start the economy. Our officials and the feuding politicians should unite and co-operate to give the people good governance. They should show vision, unity, determination, responsibility and motivation. If they do that, they can reduce poverty and might eradicate corruption from our country as well.