It’s actually a Monday morning but two news items from the Philippines carried the positive feelings that Fridays bring over to the new week, as the writer sits for his morning coffee. “The COMSTE (Congressional Commission on Science, Technology, and Engineering) is promoting a new, radical model for higher education – one that is heavily centered on R&D and innovation,” Manila Bulletin, 9th Oct. “This new model is called the innovation clusters, tripartite partnerships on R&D among the academe, private sector, and government . . . While we do have several outstanding universities, they stand out as islands of excellence in an ocean of mediocrity. We have to change that if we are to truly harness the potential of our people . . . Efforts at reducing poverty and improving governance will not result in progress unless we leapfrog development itself,” says Sen. Angara.
It appears the Agriculture road map is beginning to take shape; and the department’s budget is being raised by 60%? Earlier reports were discouraging, lagging behind the efforts of other strategic industries? “The AF 2025 February report indicated that a priority goal for rice and corn is an improvement of good governance, increased public and private investments, and technology development,” Manila Bulletin, 10th Oct. ”Fisheries is the top promising sector being eyed by AF 2025 to help lift the entire agriculture industry with the goal of making the Philippines a seafood basket and aquamarine center of the region . . . The interventions needed to achieve this include opening up of Pacific and China sea fishing area, mechanization . . ., technician training, community organization of fishers, implementation of fish cage . . ., establishment of fish processing centers in fish production sites, and construction of docking area (cold storage facilities for small fishers).”
Finally we are setting high expectations for Juan de la Cruz! We’re not just the little brown brother! We’re not just good to partake of the spoils from a cacique system via livelihood projects! We’re not just to take the condescension and insults from a lopsided economy that has descended into la-la land? The czars and the emperors were condescending – but they’re not of the 21st century? And for a nation that was to lead Asia to be a maturing, modernizing society, we can’t settle for the crumbs? How do we rectify decades that we’d rather forget? ”Efforts at reducing poverty and improving governance will not result in progress unless we leapfrog development itself . . . To help lift the entire agriculture industry [our goal is to make] the Philippines a seafood basket and aquamarine center of the region.”
Senator Angara and the Department of Agriculture need Juan de la Cruz to move the country forward? It is encouraging that “The new model [from COMSTE] is called the innovation clusters, tripartite partnerships on R&D among the academe, private sector, and government.” But beyond that, we must not be an island unto ourselves? We can’t be chanting ‘patrimony’ oblivious to the reality that our neighbors are able to leverage? And the church can’t afford to make Marx’s dig a truism, that ‘religion is the opium of the poor’? Rizal made a similar point? For instance, given the reality of ‘scarcity of resources,’ ‘to be inclusive’ is rhetoric – ‘to prioritize’ is how to make things happen? Simply put, we need to learn to say ‘no’ – so we could prioritize?
Juan de la Cruz needs to recognize that there is a world beyond patrimony and livelihood and charitable efforts? Lifting the country and helping the poor can only be sustainable in a sound economy? It is noteworthy that our think-tanks are now teeing up why we don’t seem to be committed to investment? And thus it follows we’re not predisposed to technology and innovation? As the wife would say, “we don’t have to go very far, my siblings’ jaws would drop whenever investment is on the table.” And that is despite growing up with the parable of the talents? But we’re happy to ‘live on interests’ – or LOI, off the family heirloom?
Thank God it’s Friday, and people like Senator Angara and the Department of Agriculture are forging on!
No comments:
Post a Comment