In a capitalist society such as ours, it is difficult to maintain a balance between serving the needs of the poor via the delivery of basic social services and catering to the concerns of the business sector and the other publics.
It is always that labor and capital peacefully co-exist to a certain degree but that labor – comprised by a majority of daily wage earners who belong to the lower C, D and E classes – will always seek to get more for members of its working force.
A Third World country like the Philippines, try as it must to lift itself out of the present doldrums, is hard put in introducing fresh and innovative (though not exactly original) concepts of governance because there is no strong middle class that will support them.
But make no mistake about it: All organizations are pyramidal in nature.
Without a solid foundation below, the leaders sitting at the top will find their tenure uneasy and uncomfortable because any democracy will continue to exist and prevail only when the government is of, for and by the people.
Inflation eats up everything a breadwinner earns for the day and saves nothing more for the family. The unabated increase in the prices of commodities puts the poor at a disadvantage, even assuming a family enjoys three square meals a day.
Some economic experts think that the law on minimum wage is making more life difficult to unemployed people to get jobs because employers who cannot pay the minimum wage will simply deny applicants even if they need them.
Which means that more idle job seekers will remain unemployed unless they are willing to work on an “under the table” agreement.
This is a major problem that has been stalking our government since the minimum wage law was enacted. Thus, the ranks of unemployed fresh college graduates are ever increasing because employers cannot afford to compensate them per requirements of the law.
Everytime our government is besieged and confronted by issues that create headaches, there is always the kneejerk suggestion about passing a law to remedy them. It always comes automatically as if the legislation will erase the problems permanently.
There is a school of thought I want to share with you.
It is about “discovering” the law.
I think we all are agreed that we have too many laws that some are not even being implemented to the letter.
Take the Senior Citizens Act and the PWD Act that grant perk and privileges to these two types of citizens. Not all business entities covered by these laws honestly give correct discounts to elders and to the disabled. Some make it difficult for seniors and PWDs to get what the law stipulates. You know what I mean, don’t you?
“Discovering” the law rather than “enacting” means a direct consultation and dialogue with the concerned public. Instead of taking the long, arduous process of legislation, LGUs can “discover” the law by directly consulting the sectors in need and in trouble. By applying a referendum, LGUs can immediately translate this “voice of the people” into executive action.
Already, 22% of our population are living under the poverty line. Before a bill becomes a law, it enters the legislative mill where it stays in the shelf for quite sometime, unless certified urgent and priority by the President.
The poor who need government attention pronto do not deserve to wait for a time. Remember the adage: What use is the grass (hay) if the horse is dead?
Our political system and the kind of governance we practice is too centralized to be effectively dishing out the basic social services promptly. Before government assistance is granted, approval from the higher authority in Imperial Manila has to be secured BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE LAW SAYS (emphasis mine).
This has been the order of the day for so many decades.
How then, can the government advance the interests of the poor who are in the millions?
I heard someone whispering: “Discover the law via federalism.” (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) Rom. 4:3-4: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character and character, hope.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
