WHY is the Philippines being left behind by developed countries?
This question has been haunting me for a time now. Some may answer that this is because of the lack of leadership and education. Others may say this is because of corruption; still others think this is part of our destiny. I think the main reason is our lack of knowledge about economics.
Economics is a discipline thatdeals with the production and distribution of wealth and its main goal is to create a better world amidst our limited resources and unlimited wants.
In this world where money is the axis, it is a must for us to be knowledgeable about economics, as scarcity has been following us since we were born and it will always be there. Scarcity is part of the struggle of man and victory over it is what makes man a man.
Economics is important and yet it is not widely valued in the Philippines. Math, Science and English are considered as superior subjects in our schools and Economics is often neglected.
But the question is, can Math, Science and English solve the problems in the Philippines? Can you solve poverty in the Philippines by just searching for the value of X and Y? Can you boost our economy by computing the speed of sound? Can nouns, adjectives and adverbs give food to those who are hungry?
If Filipinos just considered economics as an integral part of man’s life, if Filipinos just found a way to solve scarcity, if they just knew how to control their needs and wants, the Philippines may have already been a real “rising tiger.” The Philippines may have been different from the country we have right now.
In order to create a better Philippines, we must develop not only engineers, doctors and scientists but also economists who will become leaders that will find a way to eradicate poverty. Economists are also great leaders for they know how to manage problems by turning these into profits.
If Beethoven believed that music can change the world, I also believe that economics can change the world for it can supply water to throats that thirst, for it can supply food to stomachs that starve, for it can supply the needs of poor people that suffer.
If you don’t believe that economics can change the world, just think of Smith and Napier and how they changed the society they belonged in. We can also do the same and be a hero to our own fatherland through economics--for the bloodline of society is the economy.--Arvin Agustin Vaflor of USC-Pathways BTG Student