Before judging the title, take note that I love being a Filipino. I’m also proud of where I came from, and I always try to uphold our values and traditions. Being a Filipino means having the privilege to visit places like El Nido, Boracay, and other beautiful tourist spots. You’ll also be proud of your countrymen since we often win in international competitions, such as sports and pageants. If I ever get the chance to live in another country, I will never deny that I am Filipino. However, if I were going to stay in the Philippines forever, I honestly wouldn’t choose to. Here are some of the reasons why.
It’s true that the cost of living here is relatively cheap. For example, when my mother prepares Chicken Adobo, it costs around ₱400 and is good for two meals for four people. If you convert it into USD, it's around $6. Take note that this is already the budget version, without potatoes or fancy ingredients. However, the minimum wage in Metro Manila is only ₱695. School expenses, transportation, utilities, and other necessities are not even included yet. Although I don’t have a degree in economics, I believe that raising the minimum wage is not the ultimate solution. It could only lead companies to resort to shrinkflation and further inflation. If they won't shrink the products, there's a possibility that they will layoff employees.
Last year, the government imposed a 12% VAT on subscription services such as Netflix, Spotify, and Play Store purchases. In the same year, they also removed tax exemptions on both short-term and long-term savings interest, making it a flat 20%. If you check which country has the highest VAT in Asia, it would be the Philippines. In comparison, Singapore only has a 9% VAT. Yet, it is one of the wealthiest countries in the region based on GDP. Take note that taxes related to land acquisition, loans, and other transactions are not even discussed here.
When you work, you are also required to contribute to PhilHealth, SSS, and Pag-IBIG. Even as a PhilHealth member, you can barely utilize it properly since it only covers a small portion of hospital expenses. With SSS, deductions are taken from your salary. Ironically, you are funding the institution as mandated by the law. But when you need money from them, it's considered a debt and with interest.
I can’t help but bring up government corruption whenever I read national issues here in Hive. Corruption in our government is very rampant and obvious. Most of the time, only the “small fish” get jailed (you know what I mean). It has become a systemic problem in our country, and I know it would be very difficult to break. Many Filipinos are blinded by the promises of incompetent politicians.
Every election, our religion encourages us to vote as one. While I understand and partly share the value of unity, I don’t always agree with the candidates being endorsed. Since I’m already of legal age to vote, I can’t help but feel disappointed with the people elected to the Senate. Some of them have been in office for years but still haven’t passed any significant laws. Others spent billions on campaigns, even though their salaries only amount to millions during their term. What’s worse is that some officials who were previously convicted of corruption still managed to run.
Whenever elections come up in family discussions, I usually just roll my eyes. They partly understand me, since I’m more informed about what politicians do and what they should be doing. I even explained why only 2 out of the 8 endorsed senatorial candidates were worth voting for. My mom simply said we should follow along, since we supposedly have nothing to lose.
Right now, flood control is a major issue in the Philippines. I completely understand why many Filipinos are losing trust in the government. For instance, there were reports of a government official falling off a cliff just recently. Authorities ruled it as suicide, but many suspect it was an attempt to escape accountability. Recently, there was also news about a vice mayor allegedly firing a gun while inspecting it. Many Filipinos even questioned whether she actually died or not.
These are the reasons why I hate living in the Philippines. I love being a Filipino. However, I hate the system of the country we’re currently living in. This is my response for this week's weekend engagement.
