Inflation

July 18, 2008

Why or why was I born in a third world country where I can’t even afford the price of rice?!

Seriously now, when I was 6 (or was it 7) years old, I remember the price of a jeepney ride (From Mabini st. going to Malate Catholic school) costs about 2 pesos and 50 centavos. And when I see someone I know inside the jeep, we’d exchange greetings and the other person, more often than not, offers to pay for the “pamasahe” saying things like, “Di, sige na, okay lang, bata ka pa” or “Asus, nahiya ka pa, akin na ito, para ito lang.” 

Well, nowadays, when I see someone I know inside the jeep, unless we are directly face to face, they tend to avoid eye contact. Hiding behind other people’s bulk or striking up conversations with their seatmates just to avoid looking at you. I mean what is that supposed to mean? It’s not like i’m going to ask you to pay for my fare!

And don’t get me started on the rice shortage. There is no rice shortage YET. YET. The report clearly stated that it was only one of the projected problems come 2010. Meaning, the Government better do something about it now or by 2010, we’d have rice shortage. So why the Rice Shortage NOW? Well, some businessmen are as cunning as “Lumen” and decided to keep the wheat they are grinding and wait until people are desperate for it before they intend to put it into market. That way, they can name their price. 

I don’t understand why the government did not forsee this. If I had it my way, i’d flood (and I mean flood) the market with NFA rice until everyone’s satisfied, that way, those people who keep rice be forced to sell it at a lower rate. After all, when competiton is stiff, the cheaper, the better for business. Let’s face it, the masa are mostly contented with NFA. Only the middle-class and the rich buy the expensive kind. And nowadays, even middle-class buy NFA. So who’s going to buy the high-class rice? Only the rich. Which are what? 3% of the community? 

But to be fair, I actually believe that importing rice is cheaper than growing and harvesting them here (I mean, considering the price of EVERYTHING?! The farmers would be poorer than church mices). But I would want us to produce our own product, because seriously, if we keep on relying on other countries products, we’d never be able to stand on our own.

And a third world country, we will forever be.