Philippines is a Poor Country

I was discussing with someone on the internet regarding the image of the Philippines as a country rich in natural resources. He asked me proof of this claim. I can only parrot what are being said and projected by writers and researchers. But, given comparative study of our natural resouces with that of other nations, we are not really at the top to be called rich. I'm inclined to believe that the Philippines, my beloved country, is in fact poor and our natural resources limited.

He wrote, "I think we might agree on this point. I think it is necessary to imbue the citizens of a country with the attitude that their country is "poor," meaning, its resources are limited and they have to be well managed for the sake of all the citizens of the country. I believe this attitude is necessary even for so-called "rich" countries like the U.S. The resources of a country must be well managed by the state. The state has, I believe, a grave responsibility toward its citizens in this respect. I learned from a scholar who studied in Japan that the Japanese are taught throughout their formal schooling that their country is "poor." They are taught that Japan has practically no natural resources, and so the citizens must work and innovate in order to prosper. This kind of attitude appears to have worked to the benefit of all Japanese. The same kind of attitude is necessary for the citizens of most countries, which have limited and sometimes even poor natural resources, if a nation is to prosper. It's not the only factor that influences the material well being of a country, but it is, I believe, a very significant one."

Yes, we have to be educated and believe that the Philippines is a poor country and our resources limited. Because of this acceptance of a sad reality, we need to do something great and double our efforts as a nation to improve our situation. We should do it ourselves and not depend on outside help. We should draw solutions to our problems using our ingenuity and indigenous materials. If we want to go forward; if we want to be at par with richer countries, we need to maximize our resources. We need to develop technologies appropriate to our situations.

I am saddened by our national government's strategy in resolving our rice crisis. Why do we need to import rice from other countries? Secretary Yap has an insight to the problem of the country when he called for reduction of waste on rice. It was a nice move, but it seems majority of the businessmen took it as suppressive act. This administration is known for its aggressiveness to bring about its programs despite the noisy opposition. They should not give in to the call of the already financially liberated groups. Millions of suffering Filipinos must be the prime consideration of the government's decisions. How much the NFA spent on cellophanes and on labor when they rebagged the rice by 1 kilo, when they can ask the people to bring their own container?

We are not a rich country, and we should not act as if we are.