On Tundag poverty column

Hi Jerry, this is the wife of Pastor L.C.  My husband shared your column with me and his reply to your thoughts on that column.  I appreciate your position and your views.  If only more people would take a solid stand for some measure of real equity in society there might be some important and needed changes made. 

When often considering the very serious problem of the poor here, I have determined and have kept to a policy that I believe, if only more people would follow this policy, would make a big difference for good.  If we wait for the government to fix all the problems, I fear that we will be waiting for many generations. However, there is something that the people of this nation who care about the plight of the poor and believe in equity and integrity can do.  My policy is a very simple one:  I just do not patronize businesses that I know do not a pay minimum wage.  That includes any kind of business.  I will just ask casual questions of the people working and if I find that enough workers give an answer to the question, “Are you receiving minimum wage?” as, “No,”  I simply stop doing business with that company or store. You also need to let the store ownership or management know that you will not do business with any business that refuses to pay workers a fair minimum wage, as per the law. 

If enough people would just do that it could have a real effect on the companies that cheat their workers out of a correct and fair and liveable wage.

I just offer this thought for you and, if you will, your readers also to consider.  Yes, it's a little inconvenient but just think of the hardships that unfair and low wages cost the poor on a daily basis.  It's sort of like one-person-by-one making a statement and a vote that will count against serious forms of inequity.  It's the voice of the citizens, the voice of the people, and it's like their real and actual vote on the issue.  Who knows? Perhaps it would bring a change for much the better. Little or nothing else seems to work regarding compliance to the law on minimum wage.

Just saying, and may God bless the Philippines!