Realign forces for real growth

February is hailed as the month of peace, love and understanding.  Logically so because Valentine’s Day or the love day is just right at the middle of the month. 

Through the years, the emphasis and the common understanding by most of us is that this day is just for couples or lovebirds.  However, the fact is, it is really for families and friends as well.  Thus, on Valentine’s Day, when people tend to become more demonstrative to their loved ones, money flows and spending go up, as expected.

Historically, however, Valentine’s Day has religious significance and used to be referred to as St. Valentine's Day.  It started as a liturgical celebration in honor of a Christian saint named Valentinus. Thus, until today, Saint Valentine's Day is religiously celebrated among Anglicans, Lutherans and the Eastern Orthodox.  Though unverified, stories were made up about his martyrdom.  However, that he was imprisoned and executed for officiating unions for soldiers who were then forbidden to marry and for ministering for Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire remain popular.

Indeed, Valentine’s Day was first associated with romantic love.  However, it was only in the 18th century when it was associated with gift giving.  Then, lovers tend to be more demonstrative by presenting flowers, offering chocolates or any confectionery and sending greeting or valentine cards.  And as years pass, the bow and arrow carrying winged cupid was invented to symbolize one’s fall for another. 

Thus, with all certainty, yesterday, February 14, flowers were briskly selling at unimaginable prices.  Restaurants were full and patrons devoured gift items. Yet, when the euphoria dies down and reality smacks, anxieties and hatreds obtain.  This is so because most of us are still wondering why the country claimed to have achieved unprecedented economic growth (which is really true) year after year, yet, their lives have stagnated.  To those in the know, however, the answer is simple.  The economy has expanded but its benefits have not trickled down to the masses or those who are languishing in abject poverty.

Moreover, with the ongoing downward spiral of global oil prices, some rigs have been closed or abandoned.  Consequently, some Overseas Filipino Workers  were rendered jobless.  Thus, for them, there is no other recourse but to head home and join the ranks of anxious employment seekers. 

This country’s situation can be mirrored in our very own Cebu, a melting pot that has its own share of rural migrants and informal settlers.  Ask anybody in Cebu who is in the know of the local economy and he will certainly tell you that the identified drivers are tourism, business process outsourcing (BPO) and export.   If you are keen enough, you would notice that these are foreign-money driven.  Tourism largely depends on foreign tourists’ spending.  Obviously, BPOs and exports cater to foreign companies’ needs.  Visibly though, while tourism and BPO industries have sustained us, exports of goods have remained undesirable.

Looking at this scenario closely, anyone can easily single out that the service sector (BPOs and tourism) is contributing well to Cebu’s economy. Dissecting it further though (despite claims of multiplier effects), noticeably, direct employment wise, the sector vastly favors the professionals or those who are, at the very least, have secondary or tertiary education.  On the other hand, the exporters of goods have not significantly bounced back yet.  Due to this industry’s predicament, the potential beneficiaries for its growth (like the not-well-schooled but skilled furniture carpenters) are still wanting in benefits.  

Thanks to Cebu’s construction boom, its truest impact wasn’t felt at all. This construction boom has become a saving grace as it directly generated thousands of employment.  On top of these, the boom itself helps the furniture industry rise above water as the domestic demand for furniture increased as well. 

However, Cebu could have done more.  Unfortunately though, due to our leaders’ misplaced pride and lust for power, some surefire solutions have remained dormant.  Undeniably, the ongoing rift (and hate) among our local leaders has rendered the other “would-be-savior” projects or developments as unlikely hostages.  Supposedly, if realized, these projects could have easily generated thousands of employment and fill hundreds of thousands of stomachs during construction alone.  As buildings rise, these shall be stuffed with furniture, fixtures and accessories too, thus, helping the ailing furniture industry as well. 

Fortunately, it isn’t a completely hopeless situation at all.  Cebuanos should bring back that era when our leaders (especially in Cebu City) were harmoniously working together.  This year 2016 brings us the opportunity to bring back such fruitful era in Cebu City’s economy.  As election nears, what is paramount is for us to try to help realign the political forces in Cebu City for the economy’s benefit.  All said, the future of Cebu City’s economy largely depend on us.