Hunger chat
We can excuse people who are deaf and blind but pretending just to be one of them is inexcusable! I tried to keep my thoughts these past few months, pretending to be blind or not hearing anything about food shortage in our country. But somehow it made me feel guilty. Celebrating Labor Day with my foreign friends made me realize that I'm not incapable of seeing and hearing things about the crisis that haunts a lot of people around the globe.
While having a sumptuous dinner in a Chinese restaurant with an American, German and a Chinese friend we had politics for dessert! Americans are complaining about their falling stock market, economic problems and devaluating dollars. My German friend complains about the rising cost of the basic commodities and petrol in their country. Then, we turn to our Chinese pengyou (Chinese word for a friend) asking him why they have to change their visa rules because of Beijing Olympics. News about Beijing Olympics and visa problems were the juiciest part of discussion among the foreigners here. When it was my turn to spill out our country's problem I have a lot to talk about! I don't want to put down our country, but all of my friends know that there's a rice shortage in the Philippines. These even gave the impression to the immigration officials here in China that Filipinos are poor. That's why I have to prove to them that I have enough money to spend here. Their new visa rule states, anybody who's staying here in China should have at least 100 dollars a day.
People here think Filipinos don't have enough food on the table. Fortunately, my foreign friends think it's not only us who are facing this problem. There are a lot of people around the globe trying to battle against hunger. That's exactly my concern; a lot of people in our country are struggling to overcome this. Of the 91,077,287 Filipinos around the country how much rice do you think can we consume everyday? Given the fact that we have suffered agricultural problems last year, the growing number of population only makes this problem worse. How can a family of eight consume 1 kilo of rice from breakfast to dinner?
It's time for us to act on the ballooning population. Parents, be responsible! Say no to pregnancy if you can't provide enough food to your children. Government health workers it's time for you to boast about your family planning methods. Reach out to parents instead of waiting for them to run after you.
Lastly, to the lady president: It's time to act on the proposed daily wage increase, so workers can afford to buy more than a kilo of rice everyday! Additional jobs for the jobless too could be one of the best remedies for a rumbling stomach! These are my simple ideas yet I'm compelled to share it in the spirit of the National Labor Day!