Making it personal

I’ve heard people say that the only time we do anything about something is when it gets personal. But I rarely hear people suggest that we should make things personal in order to help solve problems around us. For instance, try asking yourself: “In what way can I make the fight against poverty personal?”

Don’t bother yourself with overwhelming thoughts such as poverty being too big to solve, or one person being too small to make a difference. Even our Lord Jesus Christ pointed out that “the poor you shall have always!” but that did not stop him from regularly doing what he could to feed a dozen men to 5,000 of them with nothing more than 2 fish, 5 loaves of bread and a prayer!

A couple of weeks ago, we were presented with a classic case of “Miss-appreciation”. A survey declared that the economic rise of the Philippines still failed to trickle down to poor Filipinos, this was then followed by experts who threw in their over analysis of the matter and concluded that there are more poor Filipinos than ever.

Last I remember, people just wanted a new government, an end to corruption and were actually happy that the economy was now beginning to pick-up. No one was talking about trickle down effects, just an end to the thievery in government. Yes, it would be nice for the wealth to trickle down, but in the mean- time can we focus on the sensible next step such as stabilizing the economy and making sure it takes root before we talk about cutting it all up like a pie?!

So far, there are two irrefutable facts that we might all agree on. First, the Philippines is finally experiencing economic growth whether real or artificial. Second is that we have more poor people due to population growth. Jobs, markets and technologies have shifted consequently displacing workers and families. The cost of living is increasing due to local, regional and global demands as well as inflation. 

My two concerns about the on-going discussion on the economy and poverty is that the whiners and politicians blame it all on a particular class of people rendering the whole thing as nothing more than a disparity between the haves and the have nots. On the other hand, no one seems to be interested in motivating and empowering everybody above the poverty line to do more than just be producers, hoarders or consumers.

Experts claim that the only way for the economy to really grow and benefit Filipinos is for government to concentrate on promoting manufacturing plants. Yes, that’s what the textbooks taught them. But the textbooks and MBAs were not developed based on the Philippine model and globalization.

What makes us unique is also our curse. Anything manufactured in the Philippines has an added cost of transport and handling, labor and electricity cost in the Philippines is high and the government and its financial geniuses don’t recognize the value of reducing taxes in order to create jobs, induce further consumption and receiving their share of taxes at the back end of transactions.

All too often we expect government to do everything and solve everything. We are not a Communist or socialist state, so don’t expect dole outs or wealth to be spread out by the state. Even China turned capitalist to save itself. Each of us has the power and the obligation. If you live above the poverty line you can and if you are a Filipino ascribing to some faith or religion, you are obliged to do so.

So how do you make it personal?  I have long suggested that we should all be pro-active in our consumption and buy Filipino-made, made-in the-Philippines, and promote a sense of nationalist consumerism.

The second thing is to get out of our comfort zones and revive our provincial roots NOW instead of when we are about to retire. Almost everyone I know talks about having their small retirement place OUTSIDE of Metro Manila but they often wait when they’re almost retired, a bit old to be driving back and forth, or too busy at their senior positions at work in order to have time to build things up. Why wait till late when you should do it now while you are financially and physically productive!

I don’t know what the people of Barangay Inosluban in Lipa City, Batangas are doing right but at the moment it is quite difficult to find masons, carpenters and skilled construction workers. I am told that so many chicken farms and houses are currently being constructed, expanded or renovated that finding workers can be a problem.

While you invest on your retirement place you actually create jobs, fund education, contribute to better nutrition and better health, and you’ve helped in making the economic benefits trickle down.

As someone who travels around the country, I have seen quite a number of small resorts, hotels, and restaurants currently being constructed by families originally based in Metro Manila. If “a little goes a long way” then one can only imagine what we can all achieve if we all decided to start fixing, building, renovating and investing in both our backyard and on backyard businesses.

While stationed in Palawan, I learned of the “tertia parte” or one third share system from the locals where an investor would put out money for livestock often a pig or two and the working capital. Once the sows or a cow gave birth, the investor gets first choice and one third of the litter. For cows, the first calf goes to the investor and the next birthing goes to the caretaker. If you have relatives in need in the province, this is one affordable way of making sure people feel the effects of the improved economy. Be forewarned of course that not everybody is as sophisticated and responsible as you are. So either make time or sign off on your donation.

Instead of thinking of dole outs and acts of mercy, make investments for you and your family while helping other families around you. If it takes a village to teach a child, it takes people to build a village and one of them is you. Go out and build another.