Strengthening PPP

This time, PPP does not stand for Public-Private Partnerships, the current administration’s program to entice the flow of investments in the country. Rather, in keeping with the occasion this week, I’d like to think that PPP should also mean People Power against Poverty.

Today’s celebration of People Power comes at a most appropriate time when our brethrens from Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Egypt, and a host of other countries are voicing out strong feelings about what they believe in and taking them to the streets.

Twenty-five years ago, the world marveled at the collective power of Filipinos who peacefully staged a mass action that forced overstaying President Ferdinand Marcos to leave his seat of power and seek asylum in the United States with his whole family.

That Marcos, who had cunningly held on to the presidency for more than two decades, surrendered the leadership of the country to Corazon Aquino, widow of slain oppositionist Benigo “Nonoy” Aquino, without bloodshed was regarded short of a miracle.

Sadly, successive “people power” movements in other parts of the world had not all ended with the same satisfying conclusions. The massacre at Tiananmen Square in China and the succeeding clampdown of all others that participated in the dissident movement is grim testimony to the grave risk that any uprising against an established seat of power wields.

Even today, we are seeing the difficulties of Libyans against Moammar Gadhafi, of the Yemenis against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, or the Bahrainis against its monarchy. Only time will tell if the vanquished will triumph over the perceived oppressors.

No end-all

Whatever the outcome, we must never lose sight of the fact that all these are part of a process towards achieving better rights for those aggrieved. Even our own war against oppression did not end 25 years ago; in fact, the occurrence of EDSA Dos and Tres are testimony to the continuing fight by Filipinos against a perceived injustice or wrongdoing, and more importantly for a dignified life unfettered by the shackles of poverty.

This is to be expected also from other people who have achieved a modicum of success in their own countries. Egyptians, for example, were successful in deposing longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak last Feb. 11. But more work is needed to bring about free elections and to resolve economic issues such as high food prices, low wages and high unemployment.

In the same breath, I would like to think that the country’s observance of People Power is not simply a tribute to the success of the thousands of ordinary citizens who had taken to the streets that fateful week 25 years ago, but as a reminder that there is still so much unfinished business that needs to be done.

Poverty pains

For many Filipinos, the biggest problem continues to be poverty; some 30 million of our countrymen still live on less than P55 a day. For decades, this high level of poverty has held back the country’s economic growth.

Even during the period of 2004 to 2008 when the country was experiencing moderately high growth, our poverty index continued to rise. Like a scourge, poverty has become a deadweight that prevents our economy from soaring to levels at par or even better than our neighbors.

One reason that is often attributed to our high poverty statistics is the inability of our farmers and fishermen to earn a decent income from their livelihood. Without better earnings, this multitude of agriculture workers will remain impoverished.

They will likewise spawn more children who will be unable to rise above the poverty level because of a lack of education, insufficient opportunities and skills for better paying jobs, and poor health due to the lack of food and health services.

Life to the farms

Because most of our countrymen living below the poverty level come from the ranks of rural agriculture workers, this is all the more reason for our government to come up with a comprehensive program that will bring wealth to the farms.

Unduly forcing our farmers and fishermen to compete against their counterparts from other countries without the benefit of a comprehensive agriculture program is a sure way of keeping the manacles of poverty securely fastened on them.

For too long, we have accepted the government’s excuse of an empty treasury not to focus on agriculture. For too long, our government has been comfortable with the yearly rise in remittances from overseas working Filipinos to buttress the economy.

Many faces of poverty

Even if more than nine million Filipinos now work abroad, the poor can barely benefit from such earnings. More often, those who live in poverty are not able to qualify for jobs abroad; neither will they be able to send their children overseas.

The other face of poverty stems from a high population growth, one that drains our meager national resources. Needless to say, the government will have to be more resolute in its position to manage the country’s population numbers.

You and I must take on the burden of fighting against poverty in whatever way we can. It is the best way to keep the spirit of People Power that so successfully started 25 years ago alive today.

Warning on skin treatment and whitening promos

There are so many promotional offers from personal service companies in the market and each one is claiming that their skin whitening treatment program is the most effective and assures results within some weeks of treatment. Well, one has to carefully read the fine prints and make sure that if your skin does not turn white as promised you will get back your money quickly.

One of our readers (whose identity shall remain anonymous as requested) wrote to describe her misery as she watched her skin around her thigh turn dark instead of becoming white. Accordingly, she had to resort to a lawyer after her demand for a refund remained outstanding since she reported the incident of discoloration last August 2010.

The counsel’s letter addressed to Facial Care Center at GT Tower, Ayala Avenue, says that “As a consequence of the treatments performed on my client, she suffered darkening and discoloration in the skin area that was treated by your company. To aggravate the situation, my client was given the run-around after she complained about her situation.”

One must be careful in choosing the service company to deal with and not be swayed by smooth sales talk and glossy brochures. Instead of seeing your skin turn pearly white, you may find yourself embroiled in a long, tedious and exasperating legal battle to get back your money.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.