A Call for ‘Solution Summit’

OUR country has been reeling from an economic crisis for the past five years, and no thanks to the national government, our people have managed largely because we are resilient.

The imminent recession in the United States and possibly in other developed countries will inevitably have dire consequences for us, particularly in the countryside. This will translate to more hungry families, higher crime index, more unemployment and layoffs.
The bottom line for us will be seeing the number of impoverished families in our midst rise steeply by 2010. And more may not be able to stand up to the much bigger economic storm expected unless we plan today.

While the national debate on the fiscal solutions continue, local governments are simply waiting by the sidelines like the proverbial Juan de la Cruz, waiting for the guava fruit to fall from the tree.

But local governments can, in fact, alleviate the worsening economic crisis on their own without having to wait for the national government to provide the stimulus. Fortunately for them, there is the allocation from the Internal Revenue Act that all barangays, towns, cities and provincial governments are entitled to.

The IRA, coupled with effective community organizing by motivated local leaders, can be our best antidote yet to the crisis. With IRA, infrastructure and social projects aimed at creating employment and stimulating business while inducing community participation, can be launched at will. These may take the form of repairing or installing new irrigation facilities, establishing ‘botica’ cooperatives, organizing more TESDA training for vocational trade, organizing soup kitchens for indigent children, etc. The opportunities are vast for an imaginative leadership.

Fortunately, the Espino administration has already taken steps to improve and expand the facilities of the hospitals under its care. This boosts chances of the under-privileged to get adequate medical care. We note that it has also taken initiatives in the agricultural sector. These improve our chances to survive the worst economic storm yet. But these are initiatives not enough. The municipal level must launch its own initiatives in tandem with the provincial government. And where do they start?

Only effective planning and coordination by and between the province’s political leaders will work for us. A ‘Solution Summit’ presided by Gov. Amado Espino, facilitated by professional community organizers and members of the academe, attended by all mayors and vice mayors, will be timely.

Time to roll up our sleeves and get down to brass tacks of basic human survival with dignity.

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