Addictive like Heroin

LIKE HEROIN — Unknown to many of us, there is a developing “meltdown” in the world’s economy and it may again trigger a financial crash. The European problems are putting the pressure on the world.  In the Philippines, we are seeing volatility of the currencies and the stock market. There is now a dilemma on whether massive infusion of financial help for cash-strapped nations on a long term can be of  help. Or this is just like administering addictive heroin just to keep going — with the appetite for more shots growing and growing until the day one will have to reverse and cut back.

When that time comes, the withdrawal syndrome will be more serious and fatal.

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CASH TRANSFER — This reminds me of the conditional cash transfer program that doles out cold cash to poor families to help address poverty and on the long term, pump prime the economy.

I don’t want to be a “killjoy” because indeed many families I know are reliant on what is now commonly called  ‘FOR PEACE” money , I see a non-sustainable campaign here that   may appear welcome now but will create problems for the future. It’s the same effect as giving heroin. You’ll have difficulty cutting the habit as the appetite increases. Especially when resources cannot sustain and keep it going.

When the economic and political  managers of the future  later will decide to cut this, then we will all be in trouble. Good to re-assess this while early and while  we are not all irretrievably “hooked” to this YET.

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WE’RE ASIANS –I think both China and the Philippines have sufficiently eyeballed each other in strong words and rhetoric. We’re lucky these bombardments were just in the media. Before the situation escalates further beyond words and into some real trouble, let’s cut all those crap and pipe down. Publicly, no country would like to appear as a loser in this standoff.

Filipinos and Chinese have a long history together. We even have one umbilical chord as Asians.   We know how to deal with each other.

Enough of those angry and threatening words. They lead us nowhere. Back to quiet and sober diplomacy, everyone!

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NEW OFFICIALS — I suggest those newly elected officials, even including those who are there already, go to a crash program or “schooling” on governance work.

Just because they are elected does not automatically mean they are prepared to take on a sensitive, complicated and important job.

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QUESTIONS ASKED — We are told that teenagers when they meet talk about their crushes with “Kumusta girlfriends mo”. Married couples talk about their hobbies or new cars, “Anong golf handicap mo?” Middle-aged folks talk about their escapades,like ” Sino yung kasama mo?” Ageing grandparents end up asking: “Anong maintenance mo?”