FEATURE: PHL IN NEW EAST ASIA CONTEXT
[PHOTO - TELLING HUNGER: A child waits for her turn to eat
after her grandmother is done feeding her younger sibling in their shanty on
Agham Road in Quezon City Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. A new survey says the hunger
rate has gone up from 4.3 million families in September last year to 4.5 million
families last December. (Photo by KJ
ROSALES)]
MANILA,
JANUARY 31, 2012 (BULLETIN) The
number of Filipino families that claimed they experienced involuntary hunger
increased to 4.5 million from 4.3 million last September, the latest Social
Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showed.
The nationwide survey, first published Monday, was conducted from December 3
to 7 among 1,200 respondents.
The SWS found that 22.5 percent of the respondents claimed they experienced
having nothing to eat at least once in the past three months, or 1 percent
higher than the 21.5 recorded in September, 2011. The respondents were aged 18
and above.
The survey question on hunger was: "Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari
po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong
makain? oo o hindi (In the last three months, did it happen even once that your
family experienced hunger and not have anything to eat? Yes or no)."
Those who experienced hunger were further asked: "Nangyari po ba 'yan ng
minsan lamang, mga ilang beses, madalas, o palagi? (Did it happen only, a few
times, often, or always?)."
By geographical area, overall hunger declined in the rest of Luzon (from 28.3
to 23 percent) and in Metro Manila from 23 to 22 percent), but rose in the
Visayas (from 15.3 to 25 percent) and Mindanao (from 13 to 19.7 percent).
The survey also noted that severe hunger among families, or those who
experienced it "often" or "always" in the last three months, was higher at 8
percent from 5.5 percent in September.
It increased in all areas, except in Metro Manila, where it declined to 5
percent from 3.7 percent.
Meanwhile, moderate hunger, or those who experienced hunger "only once or "a
few times" in the last three months, increased to 25.6 percent from 22.4
percent.
It fell in the rest of Luzon, barely changed in Metro Manila, but increased
in the Visayas and Mindanao.
The government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), has sought to address the problem of hunger through its conditional cash
transfer program (CCTP).
FEATURE STORY FROM ABS-CBN
Philippines in the new East Asia context Karen
Davila, Young Global Leader 2010, ABS-CBN Philippines
[PHOTO - Karen Davila at Davos]
This year, I had the honor of being invited as a Young Global Leader (YGL)
participant to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The World Economic Forum is undoubtedly, the most high-profile, most covered
yet exclusive conference in the world – only 2,000 participants are invited to
attend the annual gathering – ranging from heads of state, prime ministers, the
world's royalty from kings & queens…down to their heirs, influential
politicians, nobel laureates, academicians, advocacy leaders, social
entrepreneurs and not to mention, famous celebrities.
Imagine, in this one conference….
Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, United Kingdom Prime Minister
David Cameron and Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper each separately addressed
the plenary but had one message: the world economy is in trouble and that action
must be taken. But the nagging question on everybody's mind was how to do it?
Bailing out bankrupt economies? Ending the social welfare system and getting
countries to be more economically productive? To keep and scrap economic unions
like EU?
Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke on health & chaired another session
on G20.
Chelsea Clinton moderated an event on E-Philantrophy.
The revolutionary Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank
gave his insights on his breakthrough idea on the power of youth to transform
society through social business.
French director Luc Besson taught a session on the power of film on
how it can be an agent of change, Japanese actor Ken Watanabe spoke on the power
of storytelling…famous authors Paolo Coehllo and Rick Warren, even Mick Jagger
dropped by in a few YGL parties and danced with some of us, including me! Only
in Davos.
Apart from Europe's spreading economic crisis, there was discussion also on
China's emergence as the new economic power – eclipsing the United States – or
if the European contagion will impact on China.
But in all these discussions - how does a small developing nation like the
Philippines fit in all this?
With no representation from the Philippine government this year, the
Philippines was surprisingly discussed in "The New Context in East Asia", one of
the sessions moderated by Senior Research Fellow Stephen Roach of the Jackson
Institute for Global Affairs & Yale University.
One of the distinguished panelists, Karim Raslan of the Global Agenda Council
on South-East Asia says the Philippines will be a serious player in Asia in the
next few years, "The Philippines has a new president, Noynoy Aquino. The
Philippines is the next growth story in the next 10 years, you see some
investors in Indonesia already leaving and moving to the Philippines".
Raslan cites one important but often neglected quality necessary for economic
growth – and tha, the says, is honesty. "Honesty in a leader is important. In
Indonesia we've seen leaders immune from prosecution, but in the Philippines –
when you're out of office there is (prosecution)". Clearly referring to
experiences of former President Joseph Estrada and now Gloria Arroyo, Raslan
laughs, "now I don't know…some might say that's a good thing or a bad thing".
I think it would've been a plus if President Aquino came & gave a session
on "Good Governance equals Good Economics", an agenda he's been trumpeting,
which could've signaled how doing business with government has changed.
It's something, he says, Malaysia can learn from. With elections coming this
year, Raslan adds, its important to address deep-rooted problems like
corruption, "we put off economic reforms"
But when I asked Raslan to enumerate on some immediate economic growth areas,
he was quick to say – focus on creating jobs & tourism, "the much
controversial Open Skies policy is critical in encouraging tourism, the
Philippines is a good tourism opportunity, it's the closest to China and that's
a huge market to tap. I think Bohol can be the Bali of the Philippines".
I found this to be quite interesting, given a random poll in Davos – most of
foreigners I had spoken to either traveled to Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore
– and the main reason? Simple. Direct flights to all these destinations.
Raslan also cited the Philippines overtaking India in the BPO industry, "BPO
has transformed middle-class lives, good area for growth". Mining, he admits, is
a big potential source for the Philippines, but given climate change & more
storms, "it's imperative that mining be worked down in a regulatory framework,
you can't turn the clock back on progress, but strict measures can be put in
place"
Chang Dae-Wan, panelist & Chairman of the Maekyung Media Group from Korea
says trade among Asian nations is key to each one's growth, including the
Philippines. "it is important for most Asian countries to unite economically,
without excluding the European union. The west can't get its act together,
there's opportunity in crisis – the current crisis can make for greater
integration in Asia"
Which is why, Raslan ends, "the Philippines needs to know more of Asia, and
not be America–centric".
Most Asian countries are having partnerships - Thailand going to Korea to
learn anti-flood methods, Korean grid wanting to connect with the Japanese grid,
Asia "credit rating companies" and the Asean 10 (our version of the European
Union) are now the subject of talks. With China's growth pegged at 9.2% and even
if it turns out smaller, they're financially stable enough to pump prime it,
Asia is clearly where the growth is and the Philippines needs to be part of
these partnerships.
HSBC recently projected that by 2050, the Philippines will be the 16th
largest economy in the world, the reason being – sound economic fundamentals,
rising income per capita, improved rule of law, stronger democracy and rising
education.
Raslan sees this as possible, "good policy decisions will soon trickle down
to the Filipino masses…in small increments….and to Filipinos, don't be too
negative, you'll see it".
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
