Wish list for 2011

Every New Year never fails to bring a fresh surge of hope and optimism for many Filipinos, with even the poorest of the poor hopeful that life will change for the better this year. The latest Social Weather Stations survey bears out this positive perspective, with 93 percent of respondents from across all parts of the country saying that they are looking forward to 2011 with plenty of hope.

In conversations I had with my friends, relatives, colleagues, expats and all sorts of business people — they all generally feel upbeat about the new year. Here’s a short “wish list” for the country which we all hope would improve the life for a majority of Filipinos whether rich or poor. Here is the wish list, but not necessarily in this order:

1. For President Noynoy Aquino and the Supreme Court to start working in sync instead of heading to a potential collision course. It will only mean disaster for our country if these two co-equal branches of government undermine each other’s authority. The key words are “respect for the rule of law.”

2. For the protection of our overseas Filipino workers as they continue to endure all kinds of hardships and go through so many sacrifices just to give a better life to their families, sending home those precious dollars that have obviously been a “major, major” contributor to the economy. Everyday, we hear horror stories about our poor fellow Filipinos getting beaten up, raped, abused and worked to death in some foreign country.

According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, more Filipinos have been leaving to work as domestic helpers or DH, with an increase in deployments recorded at 152 percent. The sad part is that a lot more become victimized by illegal recruiters — vultures who enrich themselves out of the misery of their fellow Filipinos. Here’s wishing that these jerks get their karma one way or the other.

3. An effective solution to end the perennial traffic and pollution problem everywhere, from Baguio to Vigan to Cebu and of course, Metro Manila. Aside from adding to stress which is triggering a lot of illnesses, the horrendous jams cost the economy billions in lost productivity due to idle hours spent on the roads as people could only grit their teeth in anger or sigh in resignation.

Over the years, there have been so many schemes tried by the LTO, the LTFRB, and the MMDA to ease the situation in known gridlocks like EDSA, C5, Commonwealth, España etc., but to no avail. Unless these agencies do their jobs and become more strict with the issuance of driver’s licenses and franchises to bus, jeepney and traffic operators, the streets will always be littered with undisciplined drivers who cause not only traffic jams but bring death to passengers, motorists and pedestrians.

4. An end to incessant gasoline oil price hikes, which could also lower electricity costs. What makes everybody even more frustrated is the perception that oil companies are making fools of everyone at the manner by which price hikes and reductions are made with gasoline costs lowered by an average of 25 to 50 cents while prices are increased by P1 to P2 and at more frequent intervals. Adding to people’s anxiety is the looming power crisis in Luzon with the possibility of rotating brownouts becoming an everyday occurrence.

The mothballed 600-MW Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is a possible source of electricity and its revival is something that should be considered seriously. Former Pangasinan Congressman Mark Cojuangco and now his wife, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, are batting for the reopening of the BNPP with a maximum 20 percent ownership by the private sector. Nuclear energy has long been harnessed by other countries like Korea, the US, Japan etc. for their energy needs — and it’s about time government officials assessed this option based on pragmatism and economic consideration without factoring in political rancor in their decision.

5. That the country’s water supply will not dry out. Last year, millions of Metro Manila residents went through a harrowing two weeks without any water supply, with water rationing lines triggering violence in several instances. According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia may experience a severe water crisis that could last until 2030 with a shortfall in the supply by as much as 40 percent. This crisis could impact agriculture and industry sectors that require extensive use of water and electricity to operate — and it’s about time people stopped being so wasteful with their use of water. Billions will also be needed to repair leaking pipes and prevent water pilferage which accounts for almost 50 percent of non-revenue water.

6. Last but not least, we wish all Filipinos would be more conscious and protective of the environment. We have seen how the abuse and misuse of Mother Nature can bring in deadly consequences, with normal rainfall enough to cause flashfloods due to garbage-filled canals and esteros. Even as we write, Albay has been declared under a state of calamity due to the floods and landslides that hit the province. The environmental degradation in the country is made even worse by an unmitigated population growth rate as agricultural lands are turned into residential and commercial areas — with more and more people competing for dwindling natural resources, which eventually leads to air and water pollution and ultimately, hunger and death.

Hope springs eternal. We welcome 2011 with a short wish list and plenty of hope for the country that we must all love because it’s the only one we’ve got! All the best for the New Year to everyone.

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