'Philippine Independence' from a Modern-day Filipino

Are we just remembering the PAST, are not we ready to feast for today’s Independence?

I am glad and proud to be Pinoy.  It took my ancestors hundreds of years of bloodshed and struggle to reclaim this country. Yes, we are all reminded of the very  first day (June 12, 1898) when our flag was raised in Kawit, Cavite. But as a Pinoy at this point in time, I do hope that the upcoming year and on this same month and day that we could celebrate ‘Independence Day’ not just in memory of the past BUT a celebration for the present day.

Do we really own this land called Philippines?

Nowadays, many Filipinos die literally fighting for their piece of land (farmers) in this country while the foreigners own one – not necessarily them but named after their dummies or wife maybe or even sometimes owned by BIG names or clans not just two but a lot more as long as their money can afford. Why is it not possible for every Juan to own a piece of land? The beggars on the street, are not they Filipinos? The farmers who had to work for somebody else, for a fellow Pinoy? The renters who are mostly the middle-class Pinoys who only work just to survive their Landlords?!

But of course, every property, every asset one has is but  the fruit of his own labor.  It is also wrong to blame those who are well-off to afford a place to call their own.

Can the Lawmakers make a Law limiting the number of land ownership per person.  And if for companies who can cite a clear purpose for acquiring hectares of land a blue print of the proposed project must be submitted first.

Want a share in this country, then buy it...

Is there really freedom in our country? Is the Philippines a country we can call our OWN despite of the fact that NOT ALL of us, do not even own a ‘pot of its land’.  You can not own your share in this country UNLESS you have the money to buy it…that is the reality. I can even say that we MAYBE need to die first to have our own piece of this country. It is saddening to accept the truth  that a Filipino can only have a piece of  this land when he dies – literally a ‘piece’ in the memorial park sometimes just a ‘right’  and not a ‘title’ especially in apartment-type cemetery that a corpse shares the same lot just piled on top of the other!

 If you are born from a family of modern slaves – not owning a land or not having a business of your own, might as well die the same and history repeats itself on your descendants UNLESS miracle happens.

I hope that the government can make way for REAL Land Reform and make sure that this land be given to the rightful heirs and can help make Filipinos the ‘boss’ in workplaces and help them achieve Freedom to grow.

Not against foreign investors but till when are we going to work for them?

It is ironic that yet we are celebrating Freedom these past years but still we can not keep the fact that we are slaves in our own land.  I hope too that the Duterte Administration can formulate laws regarding foreign investors, forecasting their profits after getting thrice or quintuplet of their investment, they would leave the country and leave the business to the next five Pinoys in rank. We need to give them time to get returns on their investment (ROI) and to earn of course BUT we must provide strict regulations – because true, many benefit from the generated jobs FOR A WHILE but who profits the most in a lifetime span? The investor alone of course...  They get richer and the employees, our fellow-countrymen get poorer. Or if these investors wish to extend their presence in the land, they should PROVIDE attractive retirement benefits, fair remunerations and additional bonuses like – scholarship for children of employees of five years in service and the like. The relationship must be symbiotic, give and take so both of us will exist, not just exist but exist contently. I am challenging the lawmakers to promulgate such kind of law to protect the interests of Pinoy workers. And a foreign company shall not be allowed to HIRE CONTRACTUAL employees, and non-compliance of such should MEAN termination of permit to operate in the country.

Make accommodation for foreign investors easier to attract more BUT policies MUST be made clear. 

Real Essence of Freedom

Freedom does not only mean we are not behind bars or guarded by gunmen, it also means freedom to prosper. Filipinos must be helped to attain this goal for themselves and their respective families – I fairly think that it is the role of the government.We can not attain national development when the smallest unit of the society – the families, are left-out. For every tax a business pays, is the national coffers’ gain. Every cent spent by individuals or families constitute the economic circulation. The prosperity of every family constitutes the progress of the Nation as a whole.

Recommendations:

I trust that the Duterte administration who declares to allow every government branch to spend each budget up to the single centavo can realize this dream for everyJuan.  Establishing cooperatives with lower interest rates, easy-payment schemes with matching training-seminars to be spearheaded by the Technology and Livelihood Research Center [TLRC]/Technology Enhancement and Skills Dev’t. Authority [TESDA]  not just to give the debtors fund (from the particular field they wanted to get-involved with like Dept. of Agrarian Reform/Department of Social Welfare and Dev’t. [DSWD]/Micro-Small-Medium-Enterprises [mSMEs]) but equip tyro-entrepreneurs with the needed knowledge and skill to compete in the business world.  They can also provide particular amount for a start-up and any cost above it shall be considered a loan. The loan payments received can make the department up and running and always ready to fund for possible business expansion of beneficiaries.

The government must also PROVIDE updated technology in farming, fishing and different industries pertaining to investment opportunities starting from micro, small to medium ventures – and information technology is the key to a cheaper cost of acquiring such. No need to send delegates abroad. Or if skills training is needed Guests speakers shall be invited and as well as the training premises should be prepared so that MORE brains can benefit from it not just one or two but as many as the conference hall and training facility can accommodate. That only means MORE CARRIERS of the updated technology likewise more and more reach of the project. Funding, training, government supervision and intervention shall exist for at least a year to guide everyJuan who is starting-up.

Expectations:

We can not do anything IF we are bounded by scarcity of resources. Had the government give us a CONDUCIVE/FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT to flourish, we then have OUR FREEDOM to prosper by all means - FAILURE will only be up to individuals who did not do their BEST to exhaust all the possibilities to succeed.

As of now, let us enjoy to reap the freedom we had during the last elections that almost sixteen  million Pinoys had chosen Mayor Duterte as the frontrunner of this nation, we must take confidence that he is going to the direction we wanted this country to be.  Let us not distract the leader’s governance. No objections yet till we see the results.

All hopes that this article can reach the authorities and somehow find time to listen to the voice of a modern-day Filipino who wants to celebrate the birth of not just the ‘grandpa Independence’ but  present-day Independence.

 Thanks for taking time reading this article.  I do hope my fellow-Pinoys can share their own perspective of Real Independence.