Party responsible for spicing up the feast
Are you struggling to make a living on the minimum wage of P537 a day, especially amid a recession? Let's hear Mang Juan's tale in the midst of hardship.
When the pandemic struck, Mang Juan lost his job. He hustled to find a side gig. His wife began selling whatever she could find. Their eldest sold scrap materials like bottles and newspapers from neighbors' yards and trash bins to scrap yards, while he waited for the neighborhood watch to release him due to the curfew.
The family clung tight to their threadbare budget. They stretched it as far as they could until Mang Juan found a new job. The journey was long and arduous due to the lengthy waiting periods for public transport. Public transportation had limited capacity. In truth, he was terrified of getting sick because his family would starve, but he had to keep working to earn a living.
Despite the high costs, he didn't stop educating his children. The costs increased due to distance learning for the children - he financed a new laptop and an internet connection. He paid for the expensive printing of educational materials. But he only thought about how his children needed to finish their education quickly to overcome hardship in the future.
Following the November 2020 typhoons, particularly Typhoon Ulysses, which hit Metro Manila, the roof of Mang Juan's house leaked, and it flooded inside. He and his family huddled together, trying to cope. He searched for roofing materials and wooden boards to patch his house. His children were the first to contract COVID-19 under the lockdown.
Now, Mang Juan faces a different battle - the cost of food. Pork reached P450 in January, almost as expensive as beef, while chicken was at P160/kg. Vegetables also rose in price.
For a long time, his family hadn't been able to enjoy pork adobo due to the high cost. They made do with a small amount of pork and fat in stir-fried vegetables.
Why has life become so hard for the Filipino lower class? Basic healthcare, barely affordable, is stretched thin. Even buying vegetables requires pinching pennies. As they say, when the belt is tight, one learns to make do with less, but what happens when the belt is already threadbare?
Where is the government that promised change? He received aid from the government twice during the pandemic, but, according to his barangay captain, no more is coming.
Meanwhile, what about this government? Why is charter change being pushed by congressmen loyal to President Rodrigo Duterte? Who benefits from Cha-Cha - the rich or the poor?
If the Constitution is opened, everything in it can be revised. The term of the president can be prolonged. The system of government can be made federal, and the Senate can be dissolved. There are numerous shenanigans that can be done with Cha-Cha.
Mang Juan does not understand why the anti-terror law is a priority for the government. Why doesn't the government clean up PhilHealth, riddled with corruption, so it can better aid the poor? Why hasn't the COVID-19 pandemic been tackled effectively, like in Vietnam, a country similar to the Philippines but not nearly as wealthy?
Mang Juan is familiar with this power dynamic. It's the same manipulation used by abusive foremen in factories and abusive barangay council members.
It seems that's the strategy of the leadership, failing in the fight against the pandemic and aiding the poor, so they focus on consolidating power.
It's the strategy of the useless. They have to keep the public distracted and in fear. It's the playbook of autocrats, who once they seize power, refuse to step down.
Just like dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the Duterte camp focuses on fitness and health - through Cha-Cha, they aim to pass laws like the anti-terror law, and appoint officials like Vice President Sara Duterte. [READ MORE: Anti-terror law oral arguments: 'No other law punishes our state of mind']
Yet, Mang Juan barely pays attention to these matters. Burdened by his livelihood and travels, and worried about the uncertain future, his mind is preoccupied with finding work and making ends meet.
As President Rodrigo Duterte often says, we should wait for the vaccine. But where is it? The Philippines appears to be falling behind, even though other Southeast Asian countries have started vaccinating. What will happen if the budget for healthcare and vaccines isn't increased? [READ MORE: ANALYSIS In 2021 budget, Duterte funds dubious infra projects, not vaccines]
The economy is crumbling, and the economic managers' solution is to return to the old ways - they want to bring children aged 10 and above back to the malls to increase parents' spending.
When will a fair wage be achievable for workers like Mang Juan? When will he regain the courage to spend, with hunger and COVID-19 constantly looming over his life? [READ MORE: ANALYSIS Duterte's legacy: We're the 'sick man of Asia' again]
What's the use of a whip if the horse is dead? Should the government prioritize highways over livelihood? Vaccines over controversial laws? It's a question of strategy. It's a question of implementation. It's a question of empathy. Welcome to the Philippines 2021 - our website.com.
In the midst of their financial struggles, Mang Juan and his family find solace in the simple joys they can still afford, such as watching their children play makeshift sports in their flooded home.
Despite the difficulty in affording basic necessities, Mang Juan dreams of the day when he can earn a living that allows his family to enjoy more than just the free games he and his kids have created out of household items.
