Back in 2022, I wrote an essay describing the obsession with ayuda. It's crazy how the Makabayan bloc composed of groups like Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Kabataan Partylist, are obsessed with ayuda. It's utterly hypocritical to complain about spending PHP 10,000.00 (or more) to amend the constitution from its defects. However, they have no problem giving PHP 10,000.00 ayuda (proposed) to lazy people who do nothing all day. It's one thing to give people with disability (PWDs) their ayuda. It's another thing to give ayuda for people who are still capable of working. 4Ps is supposed to be a conditional cash transfer program. People are supposed to do what's required, or they don't get the cash to be given. Anybody wasting their money are to be removed from the program.
The problem with several anti-reform people (such as those who belong to the Makabayan bloc) is they may have a beggar mentality. They would demand for wage increase (never mind that wage increase is subject to supply and demand), free education, free this and that, etc. It's something that I might call the dependency mentality. This mentality is utterly dangerous. There's the ancient proverb that says, "Give a man a fish and he will have a meal for a day. Teach a man how to fish and he will have a meal for a lifetime." The problem is that the Makabayan Bloc. Whether they want to admit it or not, they have a dependency mindset.
I've been part of the Facebook group "Stop Blaming Capitalism for Socialism's Failures". Some people there (some are actually troll accounts, and some stubborn boomers) call Thomas Sowell (who is 94 years old this year) "garbage". Some even say (who?!) that there's "empirical evidence" to debunk Sowell. However, the best empirical evidence that they may have is from Communist hippie sites. Surprise, surprise, it might be because these Communist hippies in the same Facebook group, are angry that Sowell was actually a former Marxist. What empirical evidence do they have anyway to debunk Sowell? More insults? Which, by the way, insulting anyone may make the other person angry, while it also shrinks the credibility of the insulter!
When people would get PHP 10,000.00 (or even higher) cash subsidies monthly--who would want to work? I remember talking with someone about Mao Zedong's failure. In college, I actually admired Communist China and Communist Vietnam because they were economic powerhouses. I even felt that Tiananmen Square was justified, believing that it might be what the Philippines needs to progress. I felt running tanks against people who don't follow the rule of law could set a bar. However, I ended up writing an essay why trying to discipline every single Filipino is a stupid plan. A fatal part of Mao's plan was to achieve "equality". The result was that whether one worked or not, they still get paid. It became a system that inadvertently rewards the lazy and punishes the diligent. If I get PHP 10,000.00 per month whether I work or not, why work?
The same could go for the Filipino First Policy. Some people say that Filipino First Policy is meant to teach Filipinos how to grow and to protect them from unfair competition. However, the idea that FDIs may only own up to 40% of their shares of stock is idiotic. For the nth time, how would you like it if I let you rent my space, but I demand to own 60% of that business (read here)? No tenant in their right mind would want that! However, it is what it is, but it shouldn't stay that way. What happens is that when Filipino businesses are protected from competition, they become complacent! Why would businesses want to improve their products and services, and even raise wages, if there's barely any competition? If I barely had competition to deal with, then why would I want to improve my business conditions? The result is local businesses are encouraged to be lazy, if they can still open business, because there's barely any alternative.
If anything, what I failed to get back in college was that Communist China and Communist Vietnam, set up new economic policies. Just think for a second that, ironically, a dictator like Vladimir Lenin, would introduce the New Economic Policy (NEP). Lenin even made it clear, "Those who do not work, neither shall they eat." Communist China was introduced by the late Deng Xiaoping's Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Communist Vietnam introduced Doi Moi when the late Nguyen Duy Cong aka Do Muoi, was involved as the economics minister. The keyword was more with "economics" than anything else. Deng and Do Muoi both met the late Lee Kuan Yew at some point in their lives.
The truth is that subsidizing irresponsibility will do more harm than good. One can always talk about the ideal welfare state. However, the very life of Karl Marx should shoot down the credibility of his economics. That's probably why Lenin's thought became "necessary". In fact, it seems that Vietnam and China are just simply paying "lip service" to Marx. For example, General Secretary To Lam gave flowers to Marx's grave, all before eating a super expensive steak. One can only imagine the sight that the late Jose Maria Sison may have had, if ever it reached his ears last 2011. However, it seems To Lam may have had enough money even before achieving the higher ranks.
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