Pilipinas, ang mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo

Pilipinas, ang mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo


Katha ni Elmer Esplana (Enero 6, 2008). Ang tulang (poem) ito ay nagawa dahil sa inspirasyon ng isang  talata galing sa Pambansang Awit ng Pilipinas -Lupang Hinirang - "Ang mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo,"  mga paga-aral ng may akda na may kinalaman sa "Partipatory Governance,"  o "Effective Governance" at sa pagbabasa ng isang libro na isinulat ni Dwight Bain, isang Amerikanong manunulat na may akda ng Destination Success: A map for living out your dreams.  Pwedi nyo itong makita sa website na: http://www.dwightbain.com/.  

Kailan ka ba aahon Pilipinas?
Kailan ba namin makikita ang iyong tagumpay?
Kailan ba ikaw magni-ningas sa dilim?
Isa kang dating maunlad na bansa,
Ngayon nahuhuli ka na sa iba.
May nagsasabi na wala na raw pag-asa sa bansang Pilipinas,
Kaya't pumupunta na lang sa ibang bansa.
May iba naman, wala ng ginawa kundi sirain ang pangalan mo.
Ang nagiging bansag tuloy sa atin, "Eh kasi Pinoy,"
Kailan ba magiging positibo ang dating ng bansag na iyan?
Ang tingin tuloy ng ibang bansa sa atin,
Pilipinas, isa bansang talunan at bayan ng mga magugulo.
At ang mga Pilipino na galing sa ating bansa,
Marami sa kanila nagiging katulong (domestic helper) ng iba't-ibang mga dayuhan,
Sa maraming mga bansa sa buong mundo.
May hihigit pa ba rito?
Mayroon pa sa tingin ko.
Dapat lang ito ang makita sa atin.
Dahil marami ring Pilipino na maunlad at maayos ang buhay sa ibang bansa.
Kayat dapat dumami pa ang katulad nila.

Sana dumating ang panahon na aangat ka rin aking bansa.
Sana dumating ang araw na maaayos din ang gulo at dilim na nakapaligid sa 'yo. 
Nawa'y ang mga pulitiko magkaisa na gumawa ng mabuti lamang para sa 'yo.
Mga taong nasa katungkulan, ayusin ang pamamahala,
Lumayo na sa mga di-maayos at masamang ginagawa,
Katulad ng pagnanakaw ng kaban ng bayan,
At walang habas na pagsira lamang ng iyong yaman. 
Sa mga negosyante naman dapat na isaalang-alang natin,
Hindi lang tubo ang isipin sa buhay, kundi magkaroon din,
Ng pagmamahal at makabuluhang pangkapwa-tao na responsibilidad.
Kung sa mga organisasyong hindi gobyerno or pribado naman (NGOs),
Wag lang makigulo, kundi ipagpatuloy lang ang pagsusulong,
Ng mga kapaki-pakinabang na mga alternatibong programa at proyekto,
Na susuporta sa mga ginagawa ng pamahalan at mga pribadong sektor,
Ang pamahalaan, pribadong sektor at asosasyon hindi gobyerno at pribado,  
Patuloy lang magtulong-tulong sa isat-isa, na ayusin ang pamamahala (governance) para sa bansang ito.

At sa lahat ng kapwa ko Pilipino, mahalin natin ang ating bansa.
Tumulong tayo sa ating pamahalaan at sa mga iba pang sektor na nabanggit.
Pagsikapan at pagtulungang natin ang pagsusulong ng tagumpay ng Pilipinas. 
Wala ng hihigit pa sa sariling bayan,
Dito tayo isinilang, nabubuhay at dito rin mamamatay, kung luluubin ng Maykapal.
Ngayong taong 2008 at susunod pang mga taon, nawa'y ipagpatuloy natin ang pagsisikap.
Paghusayan natin ang ating mga ginagawa sa bawat-isa.
Isipin natin na may bagong liwanag na darating.
At ang pinakamagandang mangyayari ay parating pa lamang.

May pag-asa tayong lahat, sapagkat hindi tayo nag-iisa,
May kasama tayo sa lahat ng ating mga ginagawa,
Andyan ang Dios para gabayan at tulungan tayo,
Magtiwala lang tayo sa Kanya ng totoo.
Oh' bansang Pilipinas, Oh' bayan ko.
Ikaw at ako, tayong lahat ay Pilipino.
Kaya't dapat tayong magkaisa at magtulong-tulong.
Paunlarin ka hindi lamang sa henerasyon na ito.
Kundi pati na rin ang susunod na henerasyon ng lahing Kayumanggi.
Oh' Pilipinas, oh' bayan ko,
Kaming lahat ay naririto, Pilipinas,
Ang mamatay ng dahil sa 'yo. 

Pahabol na salita: Kung may natutunan ka sa tulang ito, ipakibahagi or email mo ito sa kaibigan at mahal mo sa buhay, upang sila'y may matutunan din katulad mo. God bless you, my friend! (Please email your comments to elmer.esplana@gmail.com).



(Source: www.elmer2007.multiply.com) 

Will you support our country and our next generation? Kaya mo ba?

Will you support our country and our next generation? Kaya mo ba?
by Elmer R. Esplana, January 21, 2008 (www.elmer2007.multiply..com)

If we are going to look at the different lending institutions in the Philippines,  you will seldom see any of them with an interest less than 15 percent.  In most cases, interest rate is more than 15 percent or majority of them from 18 percent to 20 percent or even higher. This is actually bad for the Philippines because a higher interest rate being imposed by any financial institutions both government and private sector are disincentive to Filipino families who have the capability to enter into entrepreneurial or business activities to engage in any business. Some would say that some government agencies are giving interest free loan facilities, in paper that is true, in reality it is not.  You know, what I mean. You asked our business people, they knew the story.

For the government,  the goal should be to encourage more Filipino families to go into business, so that they can also provide employment for those who have no jobs, aside from the jobs being provided by medium to large companies or even multinational companies.  By lowering the lending interest rate, as in the case of developed country (e.i. United States) 5 to 10 percent only,  more Filipino families and potential entrepreneurs will go into business.

Of course being an entrepreneur for every Filipino family is not easy because it requires the integrative skills in business management, economics, financial management, supply chain management, public relations, sales and marketing, to name some.   But all these things can be studied and can be learned (either through formal or informal education) by aspiring or novice entrepreneur, if he/she is really serious with whatever business or economic activities he/she would like to venture into.  More so, if he is a planning to be an entrepreneur within this year (2008) or currently a novice or seasoned entrepreneur.

In economic theory,  when you give a lower interest rate,  it will give signal to the business people to expand in his current business or establish a new business, which in effect will increase  the number of local investment and  the number of economic activities in the country. Any development like these things is positive for the economic growth and development  of any country, like the Philippines.  So, we can say that by having more investment means,  we can generate more jobs, and having more jobs will reduce the number of unemployment or probably, we can attain full employment for the country in the succeeding 20 years.  If there will be less unemployed, except those who make it their personal choice, the standard of living for each family will have an improvement because each one will generate income for the total income of the family. Then, we 
can also say that poverty problem will also be reduced till we finally reduced it to a manageable level.  Government statistics says it is currently at 30 percent, while some economic observers say, it can be 40 percent or higher.  What if we can reduce the poverty incidence in the Philippine to only 5 to 10 percent in the succeeding 20 years from now.  This is a difficult job but this is possible, I believe, if many Filipino families, who have the capability to become a businessman or an entrepreneur will be investing into a worthwhile business opportunity for the Philippines and the next generation of Filipinos,  be it in trading, agribusiness, food service, processing or manufacturing, business process outsourcing, information technology, research and development, education, health sector, to name some. 

So what the government should start doing by this time is, particularly the monetary board is to issue a policy that will reduce the lending interest rate that is currently being imposed by rural banks, commercial banks, universal banks, development banks, etc. to a level that is conducive for the Filipino families to invest and become an entrepreneur by themselves.  Even microfinance institutions, in general, is not conducive to increase the number of Filipino families to go into business, as they are charging even much higher interest rates per month, 2 to 5 percent or even higher. 

Parang lumalabas tuloy na kapit sa patalim ang mga kababayan natin na umuutang sa kanila, kasi kahit malaki ang interest rate kinakagat nila.  Sabi ng isa kung kaibigan, para silang niluluto sa sarili nilang mantika.  I believe, this observation is true and unless the government will step into resolving this issue on imposing a lower interest rate on lending (maybe 10 percent or lower), it will not encourage more Filipino families to participate in any entrepreneurial activities and contribute in fast-tracking the economic growth and development of this country.

Kailan pa tayo magigising sa katutuhanang pinapatay natin ang ating mga kababayan dahil sa mataas na interest na ating pinapataw sa kanila.  Look who are dominating in the national income of our economy, most of them are foreign investors or foreigners, because they have capital, we said. But I don't believe we cannot do what the Chinese people have done in China. They themselves became the investors in their country before foreign investors came in to their country.  They started it first by themselves to be an entrepreneur 

(negosyante, kaya marami sila ngayon sa Pilipinas) and majority of them participated.  So because of this, what is expected for China,  the second super power country in the world.  Of course,  we cannot deny, that Chinese people are nationalistic  and disciplined people, which is gold in the Philippines.   There are only few Filipinos who really love our country, and by imposing a higher interest rate on lending, it is one of the proof that we do not love our country and our people. Kaya nga pinapatay natin sila sa taas ng interest rate.  Plus, the culture of corruption in the government in all levels.  But is it the government only? Even the business sector are doing these things. Marami nga sa kanila konsintidor. We are not following traffic rules, we always wanted convenience that even giving an under the table transaction, we do that. So is there really an end to all of these things?

I hope there is still a way for an improvement of our system, but all of us should participate and serve as an example.   Let's do it individually for our country and the next generation.

Wag na natin isipin ang henerasyon natin, kahit ang susunod na lang na henerasyon na lang, mga kababayan ko, mga kapwa ko manggagawang Pilipino, mga kasama kong negosyanste, mga kasama kung kawani ng pamahalaan.  Wag nating hayaan ang mga banyaga ang mangibabaw sa ating bansa. Ating bansa ito, kaya dapat tayo ang nangunguna sa lahat ng magagandang nangyayari at mangyayari pa lamang sa susunod na mga panahon.  Sabi nga ni former President Fidel Ramos, the best is yet to come. We cannot expect the best to come, if we will not do something about it and give our contribution. And now is the time to do it for our country and for the next generation. - (ERE-economics, 2008)

The Strategic Agribusiness Development Plan (SADP) in the Philippine Agriculture

The Strategic Agribusiness Development Plan (SADP) in the Philippine Agriculture

 By Elmer R. Esplana (Member SADP Team and Writer, Livestock and Poultry Situational Report) 

The SADP formulation serves as a common reference for the Department of Agriculture and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),  private sector and other donor agencies in formulating assistance program related to agribusiness and in executing such programs in the Philippines. It also provide policy makers with recommendations to increase farmers' income through agribusiness development in the Philippines.

The Strategic Agribusiness Development Plan (SADP) goal for the Philippine agriculture in the next 5 to 20 years is: "an agribusiness that makes effective use of inputs and market opportunities, steadily intensifying and diversifying production, and delivers full benefits to farmers, rural communities, and other stakeholders."

SADP goal implies a value-chain approach, addressing constraints from "farm to shelf" or or "feed to fork" and providing benefits for all players along this value chain. To achieve this goal, SADP's four distinct components derived from situation analysis published in February 2009 and October 2009 in two reports funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency for the Philippine Department of Agriculture.

The four distinct components of SADP include: 1)Farm transformation or from subsistence farming to market-oriented farming; 2) Market Change or Market Development through new business model; 3) Market Change through Market Infrastructure; and 4) Strengthened support through information network, research & extension, food safety system, rural finance and the different agribusiness modalities to boost the agribusiness development in the Philippines.

Statement of Pledge for the Philippines: A Proposal

Statement of Pledge for the Philippines: A Proposal 
by Agrikulturang Maunlad, February 28, 2011
 
Here is my proposed Statement of Pledge for the Philippines which I crafted based from that of Singapore model, so we can use it for the benefit of our country in the succeeding 5 to 20 years: "We, the citizens of the Philippines and inhabitants of this country, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of language and local dialect, provincial, regional and racial differences, political affiliation, and religion; to build a democratic, God-fearing,  peace-loving, collaborative and interdependent society based on justice (we need to strengthen the justice system and implementation of laws, policies, rules and regulations, etc.), equality (let’s all work together as a team and become a team player with our individual inclination, talent, skill, expertise), good governance (transparency, accountability, performance, competence, etc.), nationalism,  discipline,  participation,  prayer,  faith and sacrifice,  so we can contribute for the advancement of our country's societal challenges, needs and concerns (family, work, profession, economic, social,  political and spiritual aspects, etc.) at the right time, right place and with the right purpose;  and  to aim to become “Champion” in the individual God-given calling that we are in,  so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation."  Can we all contribute in this Statement of Pledge as citizens of the Philippines? God is good all the time! - For your comments please email to ERE-economist at digitalpinoy2038@gmail.com.

One good child in the heart of a loving mother: A tribute to all mothers for the celebration of Mother's Day 2011

One good child in the heart of a loving mother: A tribute to all mothers for the celebration of Mother's Day 2011
There is always one good child in the heart of a loving mother that every father could always treasure in his life, as part of his creation. Let us all be grateful for having a loving mother in our life, who became God's vessel for us to become a person of what we are now, and what we will become in the future. A son or a daughter who will continue the battle and greater challenges of life under a localized, sub-regional, regional and globalized economic integration of countries in the world. We are motivated to contribute and make a difference for the next generation of human race, under the inspiration and guidance of a heavenly Creator- our Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God. A mother will always be remembered as God's blessing to mankind and in our individual family.

A Happy Mother's Day to all loving mothers throughout the Philippines and the whole world, specially, my great loving mother! We love you all! God is good all the time! -  ERE-Arteconomics, May 8, 2011