National aspirations 2025

The world will not wait for us. We must instead catch up and use all available resources and focus on what we can do best to be amongst the respected nations whose people enjoy the abundance of nature, economic wealth, political stability, full personal growth and the promises of new technologies.

Many of our countrymen still struggle for survival and the seemingly endless pursuit for financial well-being. I have constantly written and repeatedly discussed the vicious cycle that entrapped our nation to an economy that hardly liberates around 20 million Filipinos from poverty. They have no access to decent housing, basic education, health care and proper nutrition. Usually also, they are the most vulnerable to natural calamities because they dwell in houses that are constructed from weak materials and located in hazardous areas.

If we were to identify the New Year’s national resolutions, then these major aspirations must be included. As we are told, it’s free to daydream.

This is an election year. We must therefore elect candidates with proven integrity. Skills, competence and knowledge can be learned or contracted out. But the GMRC that has been taught to us is either deeply ingrained and practiced, or practically ignored. Good manners and right conduct is the shield that would equip our political leaders with the courage to always place premium to the welfare of a nation that has been long deprived of real inclusive growth. Rationalizing mistakes tend to be the norm.

We need to install visionary leaders who can look beyond the short-term campaign exigency of winning votes. They must bravely define and pursue the economic agenda that will deliver the country’s much-delayed progress. Roll out the needed infrastructure that would propel a vibrant commercial era that will create enough jobs so that less Filipinos will take the risk of exploring their future in foreign lands. We have more than two million overseas Filipino workers (OFW’s) who selflessly endure the challenges of working in the other parts of the globe. Lucky are those who find employers who don’t abuse them. But we are witness to many cases of violence inflicted on helpless Pinoy OFWs.

Extending this wish to the fullest, we hope to have political leaders who would comprehensively see the urgency of updating the fundamental law of the country. I respect those who, for the right reasons, avoid tinkering with our Constitution. But I firmly believe that the current political structure and system would hardly deliver the ideal results. The way we select leaders is one of the most inefficient methods in the history not only of the Philippines, but of the world. As I mentioned several times, doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result is foolish. We have been doing these elections in exactly the same manner. We know the results. Then we expect a different outcome every three years.

Start building an industrial and export-oriented economy. We need foreign investors who would bring the needed technologies, management systems, access to foreign markets and clear competitiveness. More jobs must be created. This is only possible when businesses expand. And to expand, new markets must be served.

The local market is small, and the buying power of our people is limited. Our local companies, with the exception of few, are myopically focused on slugging it out to rein in the profits. Even if successful, these companies would take decades to dominate any niche abroad. The short-cut is for foreign direct investments (FDIs) to substantially establish their operations here. An ultra-protectionist era is anathema to progress. Hence, we will again need to review the restrictive provisions of the Constitution that dampen the willingness of investors to dig into the medium and heavy industries that require very large investments. The stability, quality and higher cost of electricity must be addressed too. Any decent student who understands economics understands this.

Modernize our agriculture. One of our natural strengths is our soil, seas, forests and minerals. We also have hard-working farmers and fishermen. We have managerial talents that simply need to work for great organizations. At this point, we are still saddled with smuggling issues, inadequate irrigation, high cost of farm inputs such as fertilizers and lack of added value in our agricultural exports.

A robust agro-industrial sector can naturally position the country in international competition. We have the built-in advantages. But the necessary policy support and long-term protection to allow growth must be built.

The list of our national aspirations is definitely longer. For example, to support tourism, we need to modernize our airports and seaports. Travelers who are exposed to the enviable standards of the airports of other countries are embarrassed on how we welcome and send-off tourists. Recently, to make conditions worse, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) even required the scanning of the e-Travel QR code before you can finally exit the airport. This has caused long and unnecessary queues. I called up some friends in BOC to stop this, let’s see if they would heed the appeal of many travelers.

The New Year 2025 would soon pass. I hope that by 2026, we have already established the rudiments which will build the first steps in making a truly progressive country that we can be proud of.

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