Poverty Reduction Strategies of thee 2006 State of the Nation Address by GMA

Since time immemorial, the root-cause of poverty has been a resounding question for economists, sociologists and development scientists alike. It seems that there is no definite reason behind its existence, instead it arises from a chaotic and “untanglable” set of problems that have plagued different societies all over the world and have transcended across time. So, as an alternative to attacking the elusive crisis of poverty, technocrats and learned people devised differing strategies to address singly the others that are attached to it. It’s apparent that it is in light of this scenario that the president designs her own series of supposed solutions to poverty.
Let us start of with her banefully idealistic plans of modernizing infrastructure. Accordingly, the process of upgrading ports, roads and inter-provincial connections would hasten the transport of goods (and services) and thus would improve our economy. Farms will be connected to markets, international airports to various domestic airports and “rurban” areas to places where there would be a need for indispensable employment. A pretty picture of our economy slowly rising from the clasp of poverty is what every sane and sober Filipino would hope for. Personally I would have no qualms whatsoever with this massive shift to a modernized lifestyle; who wouldn’t want to live a life of convenience and less hassle? This would cut us all some technological slack, from the divide that has been present since other countries have launched their respective technological revolutions. But of course, this would open up opportunities for massive corruption. Concessions, construction funds and kickbacks galore!
In one of the more recent articles of Mr. Boo Chanco, he took note of the rapidly deteriorating condition of the MRT3. By 2010 (which is not a long way from now) the metro’s transit will have been worn out beyond regret. If the state of our existing technologies is like this, additional facilities would be less efficient and worthwhile. Also, our country has sought the aid of Austria to donate train coaches to replace the one’s that we have which turned out to be incompatible because the doors wouldn’t open because of the raised platform and has heater instead of air conditioners (good luck!). How then would we expect the construction of new technologies if we do not even have the funds to maintain the existing ones?
Another point to be noticed is how GMA targets to “phase out” and erase all traces of corruption in the bureaucracy. So grand a dream and so noble a cause and yet what moonshine it is! Just recently one of the major broadsheets in circulation had an editorial cartoon of the brother of Imelda Marcos evading the PCGG. Past cases of corruption have not been resolved, what more the present. As much as I’d like to take in the congratulatory comment that the president made; na ang mga pulis at kawal ay tapat… all I can say is that: Gloria, commute with me and lets see how the traffic enforcers of Quiapo turn into walang pakundangang mga buwaya! If the president sincerely wants to eradicate corruption she should do an all-out vertical and horizontal disciplining of her people. It is true that corruption is strongly linked to poverty, people don’t get social services and jeepney drivers have less to feed on, it has to be eradicated.
Yet another point in the president’s agenda is to mobilize, upgrade and disseminate knowledge and technologies for productivity. I say that true productivity of the people would happen if they were amply educated. What will people do with roads extending here and there if they can’t read instructions? What will people do with economic statistics and percentages if they do not even know how to count. It’s incomprehensible, why the president did not give ample space in her lengthy speech to talk about prioritizing education when she had the time to gracefully spit out numerous names of people. She is an economist, she should know! It’s rather shameful on her part (or on the part of her famous/infamous panel of advisers) that in her educated and learned stature she doesn’t know that education is part of what the people want and actually need to make them self reliant in their struggle to win against indigence.
There are actually a lot of points to pick up in her lengthy SONA, a lot to be discussed and to debate about. “Bickering in politics may delay, but not derail the initiatives that need to be taken on our pro-poor, pro-growth and pro-peace agenda.” In this single statement itself there are a lot of questions, disparities and controversies to be resolved. Perhaps the current administration is right at touching on some of the “untanglable” strings that cause poverty instead of wasting precious time trying to attack it directly. But the strategies to solve these said issues are either lacking in priority or down right incompatible with the reigning system. I am a pragmatist and struggling idealist, like most other Filipinos out there, there is nothing wrong in hoping for a better nation, but there is utmost wisdom in at the least hoping for a better government.