This is AWESOME! But I thought we are not really that poor, and I wish this is not true. I recall some years back when I would refrain from bringing my red-lead painted jiffy to church because I don’t want to be different from the others. But if today I still have that same jiffy, I would still refrain out of shame, because others are now driving shiny SUV’s and cars on Sundays. That’s how I see it nowadays from my external vantage point.
But even then I would still agree on the over all index because the improved lifestyle that we see is only confined to a selected few families. In fact, these families are easily identifiable because either, they are OFWs, pensioners, working professionals, employees, other income earners, or local businessmen. The many who predominantly rely on subsistence farming are still stagnating, if not deteriorating. These people who are now deeply rooted into farming have no more way out because there is no option either. They are the people who needs help from the local government. Unless our local officials knows how to improve their lot, like giving them marketing support and other livelihood assistance, nothing good will come to these people. And forever they will make the statistics worst for everybody.
So this statistical data is best addressed to our local officials for them to look into and find ways to improve it. But I sensed there are disputable figures in the statistics.
Firstly, I’m afraid that our crime index is actually bigger that what is recorded, because of the many incidents of mauling inside videoke joints that are sprouting like mushroom in the barangays. I don’t know how much revenue are we getting from these businesses, but I’m sure it’s not worth the trouble. Everywhere you go you will see videoke machines. But to the credit of these operators they have proven that competition brings down prices because you can sing for as low as 3 for P5.00. There is also an increased incidence of theft which I believe is propelled by the urge to bet in “swertres†which is also rampant there. In fact, I heard that these “swertres canvassers†enjoy police protection, and would even solicit bets inside the municipal offices. And if my information is still accurate, “shabu†is also secretly traded in Sikatuna.
So what good will a high crime index bring to Sikatuna? Secondly, the number of school dropouts and unemployed is also bigger in reality. In fact, this group of people comprises the 63.86% who lives below the income threshold. But of course, as in any rule, there is an exception to this because our new mayor and six (6) councilors are school dropouts, but certainly they do not live below income threshold. In fact, among the six, 1 senior councilor has barely finished Grade VI, while a newcomer councilor and our new mayor, according to my reliable informant, are both Sixth Graders also. But at least our consolation is that the new vice-mayor and two (2) councilors are college graduates. Surely, the higher percentage of unemployment is caused by the higher incidence of school dropouts. So I just hope that our local officials who themselves are school dropouts could devise a scheme how to encourage our young generations not to follow their footsteps, at least on the matter of education. They are supposed to be models for the youths to emulate, so they must be able to expressly and overtly encourage them to go to school. Otherwise, they might increase their tribe. Our youths may think that after all they can become honorable officials even without going to school.
So what good will a generation of school dropouts bring to Sikatuna?Linkback:
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Topic: 63.86 % Households in Sikatuna, Bohol are living below the Income Threshold (Read 4852 times)