Last September, I have a brief email discussion with some friends and former classmates from UPSE in the 80s. A summary of those points:
1. On scale of economy -- PH economy has momentum mainly
because of our big population. Our GDP size doubles about every two decades on average.
2. Poverty reduction, what to do -- Adam Smith the poor. Don’t give too many freebies,
forever subsidies. But if the poor are industrious, government and NGOs also should not ask for too many permits,
taxes, fees, penalties. There are 100 ways to be poor like being lazy, or work 1 day and then complain about work the next full day. Or people work 6-7 days a week but they also drink, party and/or gamble 6-7
nights a week and have zero savings. These are 101% sure formula for perpetual poverty.
3. "Ambisyon Natin 2040" by NEDA -- it's useful but it looks more like
centrally-planned ambitions and hence, may not be attainable. Households and individuals' ambitions are different from bureaucrats and legislators' ambitions.
4. Where are we headed -- I think towards more, bigger government. Take the RH law, condoms lang, govt and legislation pa? These can be done via
civil society, corporate volunteerism.
5. The "Marcos
revival” -- this seems inevitable, as govt expands like amoeba, the amoeba
will proliferate like Marcos big govt.
6. Is the PH hopeless? -- No. No country is hopeless, even N.Korea, Myanmar,
Venezuela have hopes but the realization takes time. Something like 2 steps forward, 1 step backwards. I
remember the first time I took a plane, I was 25 years old already. My eldest took her
1st plane ride at about 6 months, her 1st trip abroad at 1 yr 8 months, 2008.
Things are improving fast in the private sector, government is only the drag.
See also:
Inequality 33, Decline in global poverty, October 16, 2017
Inequality 34, Eric Jurado on the richest 1%, February 01, 2018
Inequality 35, Forbes' billionaires 2018, April 04, 2018
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