Economic development
WITH majority of the Filipino people still living below the poverty line, we cannot overemphasize the importance of spreading the benefits of economic development.
Of course, nobody will argue with those who believe that there’s really that urgent need to involve the regions in economic development in the impoverished countryside.
Mostly farmers, fishermen, laborers and other seasonal workers, parents in the rural areas, with their meager earnings, find it hard to send their sons and daughters to college.
In fact, many rural people have been abandoning their farms, preferring to look for jobs in the Metropolitan Manila area and other urban centers in various parts of the country.
“Marami ng magsasaka ang talagang ayaw ng magbungkal ng lupa dahil halos wala na silang maipakain sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay pagkatapos ng ani,” said a farmer.
“Ang taas-taas na ng production cost dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng abono, gasolina, krudo, pestisidio at iba pang gamit sa pagsasaka,” the irate rice and corn farmer added.
Hopefully, the incoming administration succeeds in increasing agricultural productivity, generating employment opportunities and creating industrial activities in the rural communities.
These are effective ways to decongest the heavily-populated Metropolitan Manila (MM).
We can concede that it is certainly difficult to stop the rural people’s exodus to urban centers, particularly in Metro Manila, which is the country’s premier region.
That’s why the incoming administration ought to prioritize the economic development of the countryside if we are to stop people from seeking jobs in the metropolis.
