By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
Netizen 1: Go and observe the industrious zacadas in all sugar cane plantations. They work more than 8 hours a day with a wage of P180.00/day.
ECA: Netizen 1, have you reconsidered your earlier decision to withdraw from the debate?
Netizen 5: We have different views and different experiences. Ti pagtutungtungan tayo ket kasla kayo. A tree has so many roots, big and small. Poverty has so many roots, big and small too. But I do believe that what Brian Tracy said is one of the big roots. I don’t need books to support my arguments.
ECA: Netizen 5, well said. Besides, the Holy Book backs our position. That’s in Proverbs and even in the New Testament if I remember right, sloth is disapproved of.
Netizen 3: Hehehe the Holy Book is not saying that sloth is the MOST RELIABLE EXPLANATION TO POVERTY IN THIS COUNTRY…..
ECA: But Netizen 3, would you agree that if the poor Filipinos would follow the advice of Proverbs on how to make one’s life better, the situation of many Filipinos would be eased?
Netizen 3: That is not debatable.. true laziness can be a cause for one’s being poor. I dont disagree with that. but when it is made as the MOST RELIABLE EXPLANATION WHY THIS NATION IS POOR, I would not entirely agree with it. I think it is how you tilted it in this thread that is under question. Poverty is your title is referred to as a common term that as if indolence, slothfullness, laziness, etc are the basic reason for poverty in this nation….that is where I disagree….
ECA: Netizen 3, I am happy that you have acknowledged that sloth does cause poverty and that what you reject is the claim that the nugget of wisdom from Brian Tracy Jim is the most reliable explanation to the poverty in the country. I concede that in the absence of a technical and clinical study to determine which of the factors that cause poverty in the country leads all the rest in terms of the degree of effect, my claim would remain a mere claim. But on the other hand, so would the explanation/s you claim account/s for most of the poverty in the country.
Pending the conduct of such an authoritative process to determine which factor for poverty in the country is inflicting the most damage and for purposes of the current debate, it is the readers who will judge which of the explanations to poverty presented has the more ring of truth or is most convincing.
At any rate, I maintain that when the scientific process to determine which is the most lethal cause of poverty in the country, the Brian Tracy Jim explanation would be a very strong contender on the following bases among others:
One, the Chinese phenomenon. Many of them came to the country with just the proverbial shirt on their backs in the last century but along with those who took their chances in these islands earlier, they now account for perhaps 70 percent of the country’s wealth while millions of natives whose forebears have been in the country hundreds of years ahead of the Chinese continue to wallow in abject poverty. Looking for a poor Chinese in this country is like searching for a needle is a haystack.
Two, the fact that we are under the same inept, directionless and corrupt government and subject to the same realities which others blame for the misery in the country like unsound economic policies, oligarchy, the presence of MNCs, etc. and yet, many poor Filipinos get rid of their poverty regardless. According to sources, in 1983, 70 percent of Filipinos lived below the poverty line but that latest statistics show that only 21 percent remain in that level. I content that it’s personal differences which could explain the different fates of the 49 percent on one hand and the 21 percent on the other.
Third, the Igorot model. Igorots are known to be hardworking, live simple lives, not vain, thrifty, are practical and have sound priorities and this is manifested in the better life they live as an ethnic group in comparison with other tribes wherever they go including Tabuk. Most of the first generation who migrated to Tabuk were not rich. And too, it’s not magic that gave the Igorots from Tabuk and other places their lands in Isabela. Neither changes for the better in government policies and outright government assistance.
Fourth, the phenomenon of Filipino youth throwing away their precious chance to obtain education, one of the best keys to open the door to better life. As has been pointed out in the several threads of this debate repeatedly, the disciplined, hard-working and wise students succeed while those who do not possess those traits fail and lose the chance to improve their lot. With all things equal, it is still the students who have the right qualities who get ahead. Same is true outside the academe.
Let me repeat: I concede that pending the conduct of a scientific study to determine the relative impact of each factor for poverty in the country, my claim that Brian Tracy Jim’s word of wisdom is the best explanation for the poverty in the country remains a claim. But so do the other pet explanations including those of the so-called experts. And that brings us back to what I have said early on that it is up to the reader to pick from the various explanations presented in the process of the debate is the most convincing . For the information of everyone, as of the latest count, the disputed post has gained 72 Likes many of whom are from people who are no stranger to the process of shaking off poverty and even gaining wealth since their parents or they themselves have experienced it and are assumed to know others who are affected by poverty. On the other hand, only four have expressed objections to the post.
I am sure the automatic reaction to that information on the current voting on the post would be that the majority is not always right but my retort to that is that the probability that the minority is always right is even less otherwise democracy would not be an enduring human institution.
Netizen 3: There is no debate that if we have visions and we strive we can change the course of our.lives. That is how the chinese and the igorots that you used as examples have.made of.themselves. But our point of discussion.on this thread is the national poverty. Please check yout title. We stick with that. My contention.is that poverty is a reality in.this country because of more serious factors which.have been instituted historically. For example we cannot provide.more livelihood to.people, we cannot do.more with tegards to infra that would.provide more job opportunities for our.people because about 40.’percent of our national budget goes to debt servicing because this nation is heavily indebted. Also many of our people are poor because they do.not own the lands that they.till. In short there are more poor people in.this country because the opportunityis simply.not.givem them. My gut feeling is.that there are.more people who.have.neen.consigned to povert because of no.opportunit.than.those.that you.have identified.
ECA: We will never be able to know for sure which poverty causing factor obtaining in the country is responsible for the condition of the most people relative to the other causes until a comprehensive and technical study to determine such is conducted which may never be done. I hold that while the seemingly immovable obstacles to a better life for the poor people remain, the wise thing for people to do is address all the personal flaws and failings that compound their situation because that way, they may not altogether escape poverty but at least they ease their condition.
ECA: Let me continue by saying that while there is no guarantee that the factors you mention will ever be remedied as they have been with us for generations already, the fact remains that from 1983 to the present, some 49 percent of the population were able to cross the poverty line. This should serve as the inspiration and challenge to the 21 percent remaining below the poverty line. If others like the Sagada people who came to Tabuk before and after the war could, why cannot they? While I admit that there might be pockets in the country like Negros where the conditions are extreme, I assume that in these places, there are also cockpits and fiestas and the traditional noche buena, etc. are observed in lavish fashion. Yesterday while traveling to Tabuk, my wife remarked on incongruous birthday scene somewhere in Nueva Ecija which was too late for me to see — the small house was a patchwork but there were lot of balloons. I believe that you would agree with me if I say that the producer of Ginebra San Miguel is making a killing not only because of those people who could afford to part with drinking money but also for the poor who could ill afford the drink. And it is not only the well off who have made the fortune of Fortune Tobacco. What right has a person to blame others and the world for his poverty when the little he earns he misspends just like the men in Dilag who break their backs hauling sacks of rice only to buy drinks and cigarette with their day’s earning?
**(To be continued)
