SO IT has come to this... again.
Just like the infamous meme, Ber-na became synonymous to the realization that after life’s beatings, another year will just fade in a snap. Immenently. Or, perhaps, a mocking suggestion to consider saving for the season of spending. After all, the last quarter of the year is earmarked by pop culture for gifts, cholesterol, travels, and vacations.
But, in this time of 6% inflation rate, I can only hope that there would be spending involved. The economy needs the circulation of money. The local economy needs customers and consumers. Thus, I hope that those earning huge bucks will spend their vacation locally. This should be the perfect time to appreciate our local gems and at the same time uplift, in the spirit of “bayanihan”, the economy of our local communities.
Like most economists who fear the looming bleak economic future, I am hoping everyday that I will be wrong in interpreting the signs. Unless our government managers reconsider the unstudied policy of change for mere change (like the TRAIN wreck), then us, common tao, should brace-up for a more painful crash. A lawyer-economist friend summed it up pessismistically: “The new tax law aims to finance major infrastructure projects, which will be milked by systematic corruption just the same. The rich will not feel the impact, but the poor will already buy basic goods with their limbs – the rich richer, poor poorer (nothing has changed). Those corrupt and rich people will not spend their vacation in the country anyway, they will spend it in the US or Europe, not in our country... not in our forsaken communities who rely on tourism activities.”
I’m not an economics expert, although tourism is under the economic sector (and I completed an Economic Administration in Japan). But when you see almost 90% of employees taking up loans to live by the day in most organizations, or fellow workers missing lunch to save for their family, and a decline of tourist arrivals which meant reduced income for families in a community, or the rise of petty crimes like stealing to live, then we are in deep trouble. Simply put, life has evidently become more difficult.
It is Ber-na. Just like our prayers for the best for our country. We wish that we can beat the odds for a better year, and a better life for everyone.
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In a positive note, our Tourism Development Service will be implementing the La Trinidad Tourism week this last week of September. In celebration of the World Tourism Day, the event will focus on updating tourism stakeholders with the tourism plans and programs of the Municipality, as well as to foster a tourism-conscious culture. There will be tourism product exhibits, trainings on tourism-related skills, meetings, musical performances by local bands, and eco-adventure activities by partners. A hopeful September everyone!