my philstar column today - The World Bank thinks the Philippines can eradicate poverty within a generation. Dr Mahar Mangahas isnt impressed with the WB study on which the projection was based. He suggests that the method used by the World Bank to project poverty is superficial, not reflective of reality on the ground. The WB ignored extensive SWS data on poverty, which was semestral in 1986-91, and quarterly in 1992-2014. But even if we accept the WB assumptions for the moment, eliminating poverty will still require speeding up structural reforms difficult to do given our political environment. For one thing, I doubt if our political leaders will behave without constant political pressure. Citizens must hound them, made easier by social media. Only through citizen activism can we stop politicians from doing business as usual. It may take excommunication of corrupt leaders to get us close to proper governance that will address poverty adequately. Pope Francis excommunicated Mafia leaders and may perhaps be persuaded to do the same here with our corrupt politicians. In any case, Pope Francis couldn’t have made it any clearer: It is grace vs sin. Given the enormity of the challenge our next President must be in a state of grace and it is our religious duty to make sure no unrepentant sinner wins. Unless that happens, poverty will remain to haunt our lives day in and day out.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 03:13:52 +0000
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