Too many untapped human resources

I have been out of the country for the last six years, serving the OFWs in Malaysia, in Kuwait and in Taiwan. And as I reintegrate myself into the mainstream of our country, there are so many productive insights that I wish to share with you on the tremendous opportunities that just lie idle in our country. While millions of people are suffering in dire poverty, there are 11.3 million untapped human resources that are being wasted, instead of being marshaled to create wealth, produce foods, build homes and develop our vast and rich potentials.

 My heart bleeds as I look at child beggars in the streets, at naked children roaming in the cities, dirty, emaciated and looking hopeless, hungry and angry. People roam around or sit idly along narrow streets or have drinking spree even at very early hours in the morning. Children play and run around, and beg for food and money in busy streets, or sell flowers and cigarettes or just wander around aimlessly. These are indications of a hopeless society, of undisciplined people with leaders who failed to provide them purpose and inspiration.

 This is definitely not a country that we want and so, instead of going through the notoriously destructive blaming syndrome, each concerned citizen should do something positive in order to create a meaningful difference in every community. All community leaders should organize working groups that shall clean our street, beautify our immediate vicinity, motivate people to cultivate small vegetables gardens, utilizing vacant lots an grow high-value, low-cost and healthy crops for production of foods and other communities.

 Barangay and other LGU leaders and NGO’s should come together and organize local residents to build low-cost but decent homes, in the style and process being modeled by GAWAD KALINGA and HABITAT for HUMANITY. People should learn to use their own initiative, creativity and make things happen, instead of waiting for government to give them dole-outs. Community leaders should take matters in their own hands by planting trees, cleaning the environment and inspiring people to take change of their our lives. 

 Instead of wasting time drinking cheap liquor and gambling, healthy and able- bodied citizens should help plant trees, clean esteros, create healthy and useful activities to move the youth. Filipinos who don’t produce goods and services should not consume. There are so many vacant lots, which could be planted with corn, vegetables and spices. These untapped human capital only need competent and passionate leaders. They need to find a PURPOSE and a PLAN.

 Realize how much human resources we are wasting because nobody is showing competent and dedicated leadership. In Malaysia, you don’t see people wasting time idly. They are busy creating wealth, producing goods and services. They are building communities and organizations. They are developing their people. They are building their future.

In the Philippines, we spend too much energy doing nothing, destroying institutions, defaming people. There are too much destructive and useless activities and too little productivity. This is a sign of a nation that has lost its appetite to live, with no hope and no faith. SAYANG.