Friday, August 01, 2008 Roperos: ‘Worsening’ condition By Godofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
PUBLIC perception of our current economic circumstances could be okay, meaning not good or bad. If it is okay on the side of good, then it could be either good, better, or best. If it is okay on the side of bad, then either it is bad, worse, or worst.
The point is, which ever the Palace would like the results of the Pulse Asia survey to be, the same is tied up with the contemporary social and economic condition of our republic as experienced by Filipinos who reside in urban centers or in the countryside.
But to deny that 86 percent of our people believe that our economy is worse now than in 2005 is to be arrogantly presumptuous, considering the double whammy of grave inflation affecting the prices of rice and oil. The Palace spokesman condemned and questioned the validity of the opinion survey firm on its findings, in the belief that the “research agenda was tainted and loaded to produce unfavorable results.”
Actually, the survey that was conducted on July 1 to July 14, “showed that 86 percent of Filipinos think that the republic’s economy has worsened in the last three years despite the reported claims of economic growth by the Arroyo administration.
It also showed that something like “75 percent of Filipinos think their personal quality of life grew ‘worse’ compared to last year,” while 84 percent said “the national quality of life has worsened.” It shows an increase from 59 percent in the number of those whose quality of life has “worsened.”
Indeed, many of those surveyed saw themselves as losers, feeling worse off than they were a year ago. These were reflected in the question that asked the respondents whether their way of life was “better now than before” compared to the past 12 months. The results showed that three in every four adult Filipinos say they are worse off today than they were a year ago. And more than four in five Filipinos believe other Filipinos feel the same way.
But then, of course, who would not feel that way if one has been forced to change his or her lifestyle because times are hard? Families who are forced to eat the cheaper yellow corn so they can eat three times a day instead of just two.
Who would not believe that the national condition has grown worse in the past months if you are confronted with the information that in Western Mindanao, some 50,000 workers from 14 companies lost their jobs as the firms either closed shop or downsized their operation due to high fuel cost which reportedly eat up about 70 percent of the fish canning firms’ operation.
Expect the closures then to result in the low supply and higher priced canned fish.
