Filipinos Complaining About Increasing Costs of Necessities While Living an Extravagant Life?

With Christmas just being around the corner--I always associate it with paying some year-end fees (such as real estate taxes), computing the year-end financial statement, and the like. However, it can be observed that some people have a mentality akin to Tomas Mascardo. If you've seen the Heneral Luna movie--one scene has Mascardo leaving his post to attend a town feast. Historian Ambeth Ocampo wrote this in Inquirer about Mascardo:

By the end of April 1899, the enemy was moving steadily northward from Manila in hot pursuit of Emilio Aguinaldo and the Malolos government. Luna, who was then chief commanding general of Central Luzon, ordered all his commanders to be ready at their stations and await instructions from his headquarters in Calumpit. During a particularly trying period, Luna was informed that General Mascardo had disobeyed Luna’s orders by leaving his headquarters in Guagua to attend a fiesta in Arayat.

Historians differ on the reason for Mascardo’s trip: One source says he was attending a fiesta, another says he was bathing, and yet another says he was courting a beautiful lady in whom Luna was also interested. Whatever the reason, Luna dispatched a telegram ordering Mascardo to return to his headquarters in Guagua immediately; he also reprimanded Mascardo for leaving Guagua without permission.

Mascardo may be long gone but his attitude is still prevalent among Filipinos. I'm no historian myself either. What I want to stress is that whatever reason Mascardo had--he should have never left Guagua without permission! Unfortunately, some people follow Mascardo's mentality with their finances. I even wonder if Mascardo had a habit of complaining about the cost of needs but never about the cost of wants.

It's typical for people to complain about the rising prices of commodities. We must realize that everything is at a supply and demand scale. No amount of insults done against economists will ever change the laws of supply and demand (read here). One can call demeaning names to economists but we can never change the laws of supply and demand. The irony is that while complaining about the increasing prices of necessities--they're actually spending on branded goods!

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A good example is the Filipino obsession with the iPhone (read here). If the prices of goods and services have increased--why line up for a brand-new iPhone? That's why I even ask if anti-economic reform proponents were forced to buy their branded goods (read here). They had all the market freedom to choose substitutes. Why get an iPhone when you can get a Samsung, a Xiaomi, or any smartphone for a much lower cost? It should be considered idiotic to complain about the increasing prices of goods and services--if you're up for an iPhone that falls under a want. The iPhone is just a want and a smartphone is a need. If they need a smartphone--why go for an iPhone when there are still quality ones? Is it just for the sake of looking good?

That's why there's this statement, "Don't go broke trying to look rich." People may be driving BMWs but they're actually Broke Without Money. They may carry an iPhone to make everyone jealous but they have no ipon (savings). They may even be partying (which may cost higher) while complaining at that same party, about the increasing costs of goods and services. Shouldn't the increasing cost of goods and services remind you, "Oops! Sorry! You need to change your lifestyle!"?

It's More Fun In The Philippines Thanks to the Filipino First Policy

I guess it can be called a day, right? This April 1, 2023 , I'm finally calling it quits with fighting for economic liberalization! Yes, that's right! All the advocacy for economic liberalization is just garbage. Why did I even spend so much time writing this blog only to find out that I've been duped? I hereby renounce everything I wrote here. I finally saw how brilliant the Filipino First Policy is. Man, what have I done? How much damage have I caused in advocating for economic liberalization? The greatest president we ever had was... High School Philippine History Movement It's time to listen to the economic genius known as the late Carlos P. Garcia. Yes, he has to be one of the greatest presidents that ever existed. I took this note from the Bohol Provincial Library and found this about CPG's Filipino First Policy ; CPG adopted the “Filipino First” Policy to promote greater Filipino participation in business, and to put the Filipinos in control of the economy...

Pinoy Pride Economics Helps in Drug Mule Recruitment

Al Jazeera Who can remember the execution of three drug mules in China on March 30, 2011 ? These were three separate cases where the three convicts were Sally Villanueva , Ramon Credo (who was cremated before his remains were brought home, and Elizabeth Batain (whose face was never shown). Sally had an episode in the GMA-7 TV show Magpakailanman, where her husband was personally interviewed by Mel Tiangco. We never got Sally on the big screen. The husband's side of the story said that his wife was guilty of a frame-up, while Mel herself said, "If the offer is too good to be true, don't take it, or you could end up in the same pickle." Take note that I'm just paraphrasing Mel's words, not saying the words she said. Reviewing the three drug mules who got arrested, based only on what's available for public viewing on the Internet If we read through the circumstances , this is how they were arrested, proving they weren't a trio: China has brushed aside...

The Good Old Days when Gasoline was Cheaper Under the Late Noynoy Aquino

Millennials' Voice I would like to clarify first and foremost that this post isn't an attempt to say that the late Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III's legacy was all bad. Some good things happened. However, let me be clear that it's stupid to say, " We don't need economic cha-cha because of the late Noynoy. " However, let me clear that I decided to write this because of a Facebook post called Millennials' Voice , which wrote this: Did you know that during President Noynoy Aquino's time, the price of oil in the world market was high, between $100 and $110 per barrel. But even with those high prices, gasoline and diesel at local pumps in the country were still relatively affordable. Under President Duterte, world oil prices went up and down, from a low of $41 to a high of $101 per barrel. The big jump to $101 in 2022 happened because of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Now, under the current president, world oil prices have gone up again to around $...

Yes, the Philippines Can Self-Industrialize Because Filipinos Are the Most Powerful Race in the World (NO JOKE)

Yes, you got that right! This meme is a fact that Filipinos are the most powerful race in the world. That has been proven by the Trust Me Bro Factcheckers of the Philippines. It's the case of Filipino Exceptionalism. One can read on Facebook something like, "How many times do I have to tell you that the Philippines isn't Vietnam/Singapore/China/Taiwan/Japan, etc.?" Ever read that? If you haven't then you must be exceptionally stupid. That's why the Philippines should never learn from other countries, especially from Singapore. Why are you always listening to foreigners? Why listen to the advice of a stinky Indian when you can have the advice of the best constitutionalist in the world, Atty. Hilario G. Davide Jr.? You say that nations of the world go to Kishore Mabhubani in Singapore instead. Forget them because the Philippines is so unique that it can do everything on its own. It was proven by the greatest president that the Philippines always had, namely Carl...

The Filipino First Policy Caused the Philippines to Succeed!

High School Philippine History Movement Yes, you read it right! I found a hidden gem that I should've read years ago! It's the book Nationalist Economics by the late Alejandro Lichauco, who is part of the magnificent IBON Foundation. It's a shame I refused to read it. I should've read Lichauco's book instead of the late Lee Kuan Yew's book From Third World to First . What a shame that I didn't look into the details that LKY was a dictator, that Flor Contemplacion was indeed innocent, and that Singapore is a state comparable to Nazi Germany. As I bought my copy of Nationalist Economics from the Trust Me Bro School of Economics--I'm now convinced that the Filipino First Policy caused us to succeed! LKY ruled Singapore for 31 years, meaning it's a frightening thing indeed! Six years is the magic number ot establish a benevolent rule! Who should we all listen to? Should we listen to foreigners or should we listen to our fellow Filipino? We must think st...

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