The past few months have plagued the country with crises that have involved one’s basic needs, the most prevalent of which involve rice and oil. The former’s shortage had the country suffering from increasing prices, although this was remedied through the government offering NFA rice at a visibly cheaper rate. Inmates were even required to till the land for palay, to strike two birds with one stone: productivity on the part of those in jail, and more output for the Filipino people. Ties were further strengthened to the rice-abundant countries, just so Juan could get his favorite staple food.
Next came the oil crisis. Although the increasing prices contributed much to the domino effect of inflation, the government was able to pull a few tricks from under its sleeve. With the price per barrel of oil at more than US$100, additional discounts were given to public utility vehicles so as not to contribute to another price increase in fares.
There seems to be a vicious cycle in terms of how problems are met and eventually solved. The government only acts on matters whenever deemed to be at a crucial stage. Prevention is never an option, and is rarely accounted for as a back-up plan.
The current milk crisis is no exception. What with the problems that come along with contaminated dairy products, and our high dependency for it, it is clear that the government is at another scurrying stage of fiddling with easy solutions to get away with this dilemma. What they don’t see, or refuse to see, are the measures that they could have done even before this broke out.
It’s been said that experience is the best teacher, yet with crises like these, the lessons are far more hassling than beneficial. It seems that there will always be a need for a crisis, and a succeeding yet mandatory course of action while at it. True, the measures taken are able to overcome, at least temporarily, these problems, but the better course to take is that of foreseeing what needs to be done even before the pressure to move takes place.
Moreover, instead of immediately determining where its problems are, the government is just waiting for them to pop up. For basic resources such as oil, rice, and dairy products, the government should not merely rely on imports so as to be able to fill the needs of every Filipino. Long-term plans should be made to anticipate any shortcomings that may occur from simply depending on other nations for what is largely required of us to have.
Time will come when succeeding dilemmas will bombard the country with barely a room for ineffectiveness and rushed answers. As always, expecting the worst may turn out to be a more fruitful source of foresight, without having to risk much – a whole nation’s life, that is.
