My Reaction

Posted last February 21, 2005 in Inquirer news Service, Dennis Arroyo’s article is about some solutions to the Philippines’ economic challenges. He pointed out that according to the Eagle watch briefing of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development, the economy is in great for growth- the stock market and other variables being in particular- yet, there are still major problem areas.

Share telecom growth

The first challenge he cited was the share telecom growth. The growth is led by the services sector (7.3 percent growth), specifically by the hot streak in communications (16.7 percent growth). He therefore believes that the government should democratize these gains by reaping from giant telecom companies out of their text message services. He proposed for a wider array of mechanisms to benefit the lower income classes by engaging ordinary folk in selling cell phone cards. The proceeds of these special edition cards are reserved for pro-poor projects like building more classrooms, buying more chairs and printing, more textbooks.

The intention of the first challenge is actually a good one. It is one of the proposals that no one in the government has never thought of proposing even though they see a lot of growth in the service sector. Thus, alleviating poverty and adding service for the poor should be two of the aspects that the government should focus on. If the service sector will help finance and support the public schools, the rate of employment will be higher and therefore we can make maximize the use of our workforce inside the country.

How can giant companies help in the national poverty concerns? Despite the fact that all other sectors are in great downfall, it is only the service sector that still has the capacity to earn profit. This is mainly because of the telecommunications companies. Two big giants, smart and Globe can actually help by manipulating the cost they earn from the millions of subscribers here in the Philippines. They can basically make the price of each text higher or lower since the consumer’s demand for their services never vary. Having up to 10% from their total profit is never an expense to them but rather an investment for those families who are below the poverty incidence and needs support financially.

Fight tax evasion

Data of the National Statistical Coordination Board states that the deficit of Php186 billion lies below the official target of Php198 billion, which is according to Mr. Arrroyo. Still remains very large. Thus, rating agencies have responded by downgrading Philippine sovereign bonds, making it costly to borrow.

The writer therefore suggests charging correct prices since the massive tax evasion has already caused the fiscal crisis.

I believe that tax collection is a major problem in the country nowadays and increasing VAT is never a solution. It is important to charge the correct prices for the public services like electricity, highways, and light rail fares. It may be a big expense for the government but the benefit will come soon after.

Government corporations therefore must be able to collect prices from the people to provide proper services to the people. Poverty can sometimes be an excuse if the government does not use the country’s money for good. The money belongs to the people so it is rightful to spend it for them and not to the selfish government officials. I therefore conclude that the issue does not talk only about tax evasion but also with tax collection and the way the money is spent.

Agriculture

The agriculture rose by 4.9% in the whole 2004, but slowed down to only1.2%. Primarily, the reason is because harvests are threatened by a new cycle of natural disasters like el niño tide and drought.

The writer points out that the solution to all these is to ensure enough water for crops through cost-effect irrigation, and likewise, diversity away from water-intensive rice to the less demanding vegetables and cash crops.

The proposal of having proper irrigation is excellent. The government should invest mainly on agriculture because I believe that it is our strong point. Having water storage is the best solution to survive drought and el niño phenomenon.

I don’t agree with diversifying from water-intensive rice to less demanding crops. Storms and other catastrophic disasters happen naturally. The people to be blamed are the weather agencies like PAG_ASA and other meteorologists. If timely information are given to these farmers, they could have prepared for such calamities and extraordinary event.

Diversify Exports

Exports are back to double-digit growth: they rose by 19.5 percent as of November 2004. However, they are heavily concentrated in electronics, and this makes the sector vulnerable to swings in the world market. Competing with fully developed countries like Japan and US by means of electronics is like taking a big risk. It is therefore advised to diversify the export mix of the country. We must focus on agriculture because primarily, Philippines is an agricultural country. Let us bring back the times when we were the ones who lead in exporting rice-and not our “students” (Thailand and Vietnam) because today, we are mainly relying on them by means of rice. It was not too long ago when factories here suffered from the slump in global demand. The challenge then is to put more eggs in other baskets.

Promote Direct Investments

Portfolio investments are actually those that come easily but are easily spent. It is not necessary to focus or to base on this data, but rather to the direct investment. The writer cited that to promote direct investment means making the country more competitive particularly by filling the gaps in infrastructure. The effort focused on the Clark and Subic area, which the government is trying to develop into the logistics hub of Asia.

Personally, I only partly agree with the writer’s proposal. Direct investment is good but it somehow has ill-effects, Let the Philippines first focus on its own export and ideas and limit direct investments since these investments benefit more the investors and never the country as a whole. Mining industry, for instance, may let us earn a lot of national income but it will “rape” our natural resources. Let us first focus in exporting agricultural products and invest more in developing it.

Offer cheap imports

In 2003 the inflation rate was 3.1 percent. Then in 2004 the official target range was 4.5 to 5 percent inflation. But it actually hit 5.5 percent last year, likely because of election spending. In fact it even reached 7.9 percent in December 2004.

The challenge, according to Mr. Dennis Arroyo is to find ways to lower the price for other items as to provide some relief. We must import more rice from Vietnam and Thailand and medicines from India since it is just half the price of Philippine rice and medicines respectively.

With that statement, I certainly do not agree. Importing more products means killing rice and medicine companies here in the Philippines. Consumers have more alternative sources with lower price. This has a great impact on such companies and probably it may even cause the Philippines to rely predominantly on these countries in the succeeding years by means of such products. Therefore, this will lead us to a more complicated situation in the future.

Widen scope of outsourcing

Then there's the unemployment rate, which hovers at a formidable 11.8 percent. The state does not have the funds to generate all these jobs but it can set the direction for the private sector.

To solve the problem, the writer proposed to limit overseas worker who goes to other countries but still be an overseas worker even by just staying in the country. They can just therefore e-mail their outputs to corporations in New York, London, Melbourne, and Vancouver. They can prepare and e-mail financial statements, marketing analysis, industry overviews, software, animation, even songs. It's like being an overseas worker without leaving the Philippines.

I think the proposal is very unique. Though, I know that no country (or company) will ever take risks of employing an invisible worker. No matter how good Filipinos works can be, companies are less assured because they cannot deal with their workers properly. Communication is really a big problem in this suggestion.

Identify small enterprise winners.

According to Mr. Arroyo, to create jobs for poorer classes, it is vital to diffuse technology to the rural sector, particularly to micro, small and medium enterprises.

I agree with the writer. Agro-processing activities can truly create a legion of jobs. It is necessary for the government to invest on rural businesses because it will be a help in the economy. With this strategy, local supply can keep up with demand abroad. The state would do well to identify market opportunities and empower the poor to seize them.

Movie Reflection

Reflection on the movie “ANAK”

Based on economic situation of the Philippines

They're known as ‘bagong bayani’, a Tagalog expression meaning "new heroes." As the movie, “Anak” suggests, these new heroes face loneliness of being far from their love ones, injustice and cruelty of foreigners, hardships of finding new job opportunities and the different negative treatment of Filipinos in their native country.

The main character in the story is a Filipina Overseas Contract Worker (Vilma Santos), one of the many residents of the archipelago who is forced to leave her family and take a higher paying job in a more prosperous Asian country- Hong Kong. While she is working her employer refuses to let her take a vacation, nor does he deliver her mail to her. She is unaware, therefore, that her husband has died. When she finally returns to the Philippines she is met with resentment and hatred by her children.

After six years of being a domestic Helper, Josie faced a lot of problems concerning her family. Carla (Claudine Barreto) exercised rebellion because of her anger towards her mom. Michael’s scholarship in a university has been forfeited after a low grade in an academic subject. And even Josie’s knowledge about her youngest daughter is very limited. She felt like she knows nothing about her family.

. Josie’s case happens to must Filipinos nowadays. It a worse thing facing hardships of finding new job opportunities abroad, but it’s a lot difficult facing family problems. These OFW’s actually suffer the cruelty of foreigners and most of them are treated differently as is they were slaves. But for the love of their families here in the Philippines, they are willing to sacrifice and face the challenges abroad.

Personally, I adore Josie in a lot of ways. She went to Hong Kong for the purpose of helping the family in its needs and not for any selfish reason. She went there and faced all hardships for the love of her children and husband, yet, when she came back, she still faced a more severe problem in the family. As a caring mother, seeing the family in a crisis is a big heartache and overcoming these feelings and rebuilding the same relationship is really hard to attain.

What has gone to the Philippines? Are we training Filipinos to work for the benefit of other counties? Flexible, industrious, and frequently skilled, Filipinos are finding their way into unexpected niche markets. Nurses trained in the Philippines, for instance, are more likely to end up working elsewhere. Hospital recruiters from Norway and the UK travel to Manila to hire them. Likewise, American school districts having trouble attracting new teachers are discovering ample supply in the Philippines. The Philippines truly has discovered the future of work. About 10 percent of the country's population of 76.5 million is hard at work - outside the country. During 2001, more than 800,000 people headed out to Italy, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Singapore, and Uzbekistan. They went to Mongolia and Equatorial Guinea. Unlike Mexicans, who flock primarily to the United States. Filipinos traveled to 162 nations in all. Filipinos toil as domestic helpers, engineers, nurses, bricklayers, teachers, farmers, seafarers, stenographers, hairdressers, crane operators, cooks, and entertainers.

Discovering its prowess as an outsourcer of labor, the Philippines is now pursuing the opportunity with fervor. Whereas the US has spent decades bemoaning the export of its jobs (to Mexico, to China), the Philippine government revels in the export of its people. Using technology to stay involved in family life back home, Filipino global commuters constitute one of the biggest sources of stability for the economy of a country perennially known as the Sick Man of Asia. Remittances, the money they electronically send back to their families, account for 8.2 percent of the nation's gross national product, stabilizing its peso, improving foreign currency reserves, shoring up consumption, and making more than a dent in the unemployment rate (now 11.8percent). Last year, overseas Filipino workers sent home $6.2 billion.

Filipinos actually gain a lot of benefits from these OFW’s. The thriving trade of people has already been the envy of the developing world. The growing market migrant work has attracted Asian countries to come and find out how they can have prime producers of labor from the Philippines. According to the International Monetary Fund, worldwide remittances totaled $2 billion in 1970; by 2000, the International Labor Organization set that figure at $73 billion.

Remittances are the best benefit that we gain from domestic helpers abroad. Truly, it accounts a big percent in improving the Philippine economy. But there are also other factors that can make it be improved. The balance of payments states the various aspects that a country must focus on, like the import and export, and also the investments. People are very essential in a developing country and therefore we should make use of them in the best possible way. We cannot afford to let other countries benefit from our workforce. Implementing new government rules to take care of these OFW’s are good, but its like accepting and relying on them predominantly, which I think is wrong.

Soy Serves Up Healthy Benefits

Adapted from "Soy Health News" written for the Indiana Soybean Board by Kim Galeaz, RD, CD, Food & Nutrition Consultant. For comprehensive versions of this information, refer to www.indianasoybeanboard.com.

Soyfoods are a source of high-quality protein. In addition, consumption of soy protein provides health benefits that may help prevent or treat certain chronic diseases. Currently, a great deal of research is being conducted to investigate possible health benefits of soy.

Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity continues to increase at alarming rates. One way to reverse this trend is to start early and start right by teaching your child good nutrition habits that will last a lifetime. Starting right also means offering soyfoods. Soyfoods provide critical vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein for growing children.

Plus, many soyfoods contain fewer calories and fat grams, making weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight much easier. Many kid-friendly soyfoods are available today including chocolate soymilk, frozen pizza, taco-style meat and chicken-style nuggets.

Weight Loss & Dietary Fiber
Eating more high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and soyfoods may help with weight loss efforts when substituted for higher calorie foods. Many soyfoods are filled with fiber; ongoing medical research is showing that fiber provides a feeling of satiety and fullness in between meals and reduces hunger cravings. Ultimately, this helps prevent unnecessary eating and excessive calories which can lead to weight gain. Aim for 25 grams of fiber every day. A serving of green sweet soybeans contains 3 grams of fiber. One soy veggie burger has four grams of fiber and roasted, salted soynuts have five grams.

In addition, many soyfoods contain fewer calories and fat grams, making weight loss even easier.

Weight Loss & Breakfast
Losing weight may be a lot easier if breakfast becomes a priority every day, and soyfoods may help with weight loss efforts when substituted for higher caloric foods. Eating breakfast provides a feeling of fullness, or satiety, which helps curb hunger and prevents overeating of high-calorie snacks and foods. In addition, research indicates fewer calories may be consumed at the next eating occasion or meal.

Soyfoods are perfect for breakfast, especially when trying to lose weight because they are filled with bone-building and heart-healthy soy protein, plus they reduce overall calories and fat grams. For example, traditional sausage links contain 160 calories and 14 grams of fat; soy breakfast links have only 70 calories and 3 grams of fat. Other soy breakfast foods include bagels made with soynuts and soy cereal with vanilla soymilk.

Fad Diets
Being on a low carb or the next fad diet when trying to lose weight should not come at the expense of having a healthy heart. Eating unlimited amounts of high-protein foods loaded with fat and saturated fat could prove detrimental over time. Soyfoods help promote healthier eating habits with low carb diets, because many soyfoods are naturally low in fat and saturated fat, while being high in heart-healthy protein. For example, the average soy veggie burger provides 12 grams of soy protein with only five grams of total fat, one gram of saturated fat and just three grams of net carbs.

Heart Health and Heart Disease
Soyfoods containing soy protein can be allies in the ongoing battle against heart disease, the number one killer of adult men and women. Over 40 scientific studies have proven the positive effect of soy protein on lowering cholesterol levels, including the harmful LDL cholesterol, which leads to the decreased risk of heart disease. In fact, the Food & Drug Administration recommends eating 25 grams of soy protein every day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. A serving of soy latte provides seven grams of soy protein, roasted salted soynuts contain 12 grams and a soy cheeseburger has nine grams of heart-healthy soy protein.

Omega-3's
Certain fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, contain the best source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But certain plant foods, like flaxseed and soybeans, also contain these fatty acids. Soybeans are one of the best non-fish sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to other beans like pinto beans and navy beans, soybeans have a higher fat content, but this fat contains these heart-healthy omega-3's.

Blood Pressure & Soy
Soy protein may provide positive results for people with high blood pressure. According to a recently published scientific study, researchers found that both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced in middle-aged and elderly women who ate at least 25 grams of soy protein daily. Since supermarkets today are filled with numerous soyfoods, eating 25 grams of soy protein is easy. Start the day with soy cereal for breakfast (eight grams soy protein). Add BBQ soy chips for lunch (seven grams soy protein). Grab a soy-protein-energy-bar for an afternoon snack (10 grams soy protein). Total soy protein equals 25 grams.

Menopause
While soy protein may or may not help reduce hot flashes for women going through menopause, soy protein has other proven benefits extending well into post-menopausal years. Research has found that consuming soy protein before, as well as after, menopause may help protect bones from becoming weak and brittle. And since post-menopausal women face an increased risk for osteoporosis, keeping bones healthy with soy protein-rich foods is critical.

In addition, soy protein may help reduce the risk of heart disease, another major concern after menopause.

Pregnancy & Omega-3's
The link between omega-3 fatty acids and a healthy heart is well established. But there's yet another reason - geared toward mothers and their daughters - for eating more omega-3's.

A newly released scientific study found that mothers who eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy (and while breastfeeding), may help to significantly reduce their daughters' risk of developing breast cancer later in life. In addition, this study found that including omega-3 rich foods throughout childhood and teenage years may continue to help provide protective benefits against breast cancer.

Fatty fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel are the highest source of omega-3 fatty acids, but walnuts, flaxseed and soybeans also contain these critical omega-3's.

Breast Cancer
Including soyfoods during a teenage girl's adolescence years may provide increased protective benefits and reduce the risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Although there is a lack of evidence that consuming soy as an adult may reduce the risk of breast cancer, ongoing scientific research is showing that consuming soy protein as a teenager may help reduce breast cancer risk as an adult by nearly 50 percent. These impressive results were obtained by eating just 11 grams of soy protein daily. Eleven grams of soy protein is found in one serving of honey roasted soynuts or two servings of barbecued soy chips.

In addition to reducing risk of breast cancer, soy protein-rich foods may promote a healthy heart and strong bones.

Cancer & Soy Isoflavones
Medical research has determined that foods rich in fiber, low in fat and high in phytochemicals may help reduce your risk of developing certain cancers. Consuming soyfoods may prove beneficial when eating to reduce cancer risk because many soyfoods are not only high in fiber, they are low in total fat and high in soy protein and phytochemicals called isoflavones.

Isoflavones are naturally-occurring plant compounds that have been attributed in numerous medical and scientific studies to reducing risk of colon, breast and prostate cancer.

Prostate and Colon Cancer
Some of the same foods that can lower risk of heart disease, like soyfoods, may also reduce the risk of the second most common cancer in men. Medical research has shown that foods rich in soy protein may be protective against prostate cancer by helping to promote healthier prostate tissues. And although a specific level of soy protein hasn't been recommended yet for reducing prostate cancer risk, adding one soyfood every day could be beneficial. Plus soyfoods will provide heart-healthy and bone-building benefits at the same time.

Colon Cancer
The latest medical research has found that several natural components of soy may help protect against colon cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The components of soy that may be helping prevent colon cancer are called isoflavones and saponins. Both are found in soyfoods such as soymilk, soynuts, and green and yellow soybeans.

Many soyfoods are not only good sources of these isoflavones and saponins, but they are high in fiber, and fiber-rich foods have also been associated with lower cancer risk.

Limiting high fat foods may also help reduce risk of developing colon cancer. Substituting soy veggie burgers or tofu for higher fat protein foods will help cut fat considerably.

Diabetes
Several benefits of soy protein exist for the management of diabetes and provide support for the importance of adding soyfoods to a diabetic diet.

First, many soyfoods have a lower glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index help keep blood sugar levels more stable, making diabetes much easier to control. Soyfoods like canned yellow soybeans and frozen green sweet soybeans have a lower glylcemic index than other soyfoods.

Secondly, many soyfoods are high in dietary fiber, and fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Everyone - including people with diabetes - should aim for at least 25 grams of fiber daily. Roasted soynuts contain six grams of fiber and a soy veggie burger has four grams.

Plus, soyfoods can provide additional benefits for controlling one of the most prevalent complications of diabetes - heart disease.

SoyWorks

Overview of the SoyWorks Company
Everything about Soy

General Manager: Michael Arevalo
Operations Manager: January Luzada
Marketing Officer: Ma. Michelle Abiog
Finance Manager: Cherry Vie Saballegue

The business is established to provide innovative products made out of Soy. The business offers the following products:

• Cold Taho or Cold Soy Custard with different fruit flavors such as mango, strawberry, pineapple, etc. The business also adds Honey, nata de coco, and big sago. The shelf life of the taho is 2 weeks if it is kept in the refrigerator.
  
• Ready-to-drink Soy milk is also offered by the business. the buiness offers a lot of choices for soymilk- the pure soymilk and fruit-flavored soymilk.
• Packaged Tofu or Tokwa is also offered by the SoyWorks. It is pure, clean and is being exported to other countries.
• SoyCandles is another thing but the business is still working on such.
• Powderized Taho is also another product being considered by the business in the long-run.
  

Egoism

Egoism

Egoism, as contrary to utilitarianism, is described as the view that associates morality with self-interest. Egoists believe that an act is morally right if and only if it best promotes their long-term interest. Thus, egoists use their best long-term advantage as the ultimate standard for measuring an action’s righteousness. For instance, if an action produces, will possible produce, or is intended to produce for an egoist a greater ratio of good over evil in the long-run than any other option/alternative, then the action is the right one to perform and he should consider such act as moral. If it is accepted as a basis for morality, is it really right for us to adopt such principle? What could possibly happen if all of us learned to make use of such principle in our day-to-day living?

Egoists clearly pointed out that they are not living a happy life by considering only their own good and not caring for others. They are also in a sense, “risk-takers” and they are willing to undergo unpleasant even painful experiences, provided that such temporary sacrifice is necessary for the advancement of his long-term interest. Another is the principle of hedonism, the view that only pleasure (or happiness) is of intrinsic value, the only good worth pursuing. Though some egoists are hedonists, one must never generalize them as such because there are also some of them who have a broader view of what constitutes self-interest, just like knowledge, power or what other psychologist might call self-actualization. Lastly, egoists can also act honestly, be gracious and helpful to others, or otherwise promote other’s interest. Egoists indirectly help others by promoting their own self-interest. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone, but you aim for just one. In particular, egoists tells us to benefit others when we expect that our doing so will be reciprocated or when the act will bring us pleasure or in some way promote our own good.

Egoism seemed to be a concrete principle, there are, however, some problems in adopting such. Psychological egoism, a doctrine that states that all human beings are, as a matter of fact, so constructed that they behave selfishly, is not a sound theory. There are some human acts that doesn’t really promote their own good, instead promote others welfare. When Peter Parker (Spiderman 2) lost his powers as the masked wall-crawler, he tried to live a normal life, as an ordinary citizen. But when he saw a building on fire, he immediately rushed inside to save a little girl trapped in the second floor. He knew that he could die rescuing the victim, but he ignored the fire and went in. Such heroic deed is actually a sign of courage and bravery. This example actually violates the rule about psychological egoism (the only desires that you have, or the only desire that moves you are all self-interested desires). Psychological egoism justifies that such act is still caused by personal interest- it may be fame, prize, etc. But, for all those who watched the movie, you know that Peter wasn’t after any prize, or fame whatsoever, in fact, after he helped the victims, he left the place. A hero, indeed.

Ethical egoism is not really a moral theory at all. It is difficult to see how ethical egoism could perform this function as a moral standard. If all people fight for their pure self-interested desires, then they would find it hard to attain moral standards that will provide the guidelines for cooperative social existence. Thus, if the people’s interests never came into conflict- that is, if it were never advantageous for one person to deceive or cheat one another- then, people would have no need for morality.

Am I also an egoist? I remember back when I was ten. I learned to compete with my classmates for a high grade, but does that qualify me as an egoist? How about when I started to collect Harry Potter stuffs, old coins, certificates and postcards? When I found a five-peso coin and decided to keep it? When I decided not to let Micha text using my phone? Or how about when I watched a movie all alone? Are these all sign of my selfishness?

I like to believe that I exercise egoism most of the time. I am well-motivated to do things that I like because it brings me pleasure and excitement. But I am not that selfish. I think that I am an egoist who wants self-interest but never at the expense of others’. It’s like I acquire happiness without hurting or harming anyone around me. With this in mind, I believe that in a sense, I am able to exercise both egoism and utilitarianism. Why? Because I believe that people desires to find ultimate happiness in this world. Such happiness is subjectively defined, but absolute happiness doesn’t lead other people on the wrong end.

What could possibly happen in a world where people are pure egoist? Probably, the world would never be the same. It’s like living in a world where there is an ultimate rule: “Mind Your Own Business”. Just imagine a world where no one cares what you do, and no one would tell you the difference between right and wrong because that is beyond their rule of achieving personal happiness. The most common objection to egoism as an ethical doctrine is that by reducing everything to the standard of best long-term self-interest, egoism takes no stand against seemingly outrageous acts like stealing, murder, racial discrimination, deliberately false advertising and wanton pollution. Such actions remain morally neutral until the test of self-interest is applied. That is the reason why one of the problems with egoism is that it ignores blatant wrongs. Another is that egoism cannot provide means for settling conflicts and disputes because it simply tells each party to do whatever is necessary to promote effectively his or her interest.

Egoism is not a concrete basis of morality. It cannot serve as a standard or guideline that a society follows because there are several problems attached to it. One is psychological egoism is not a sound theory. Another is that ethical egoism is not really a moral theory at all. And the last is that ethical egoism ignores blatant wrongs.