Freedom meaningless without genuine independence

Kalayaan Na Walang Kasarinlan. Kagawasan Nga Walay Kaugalingnan. Meaningless. Huwad, Haw-ang. Haguka. Walay kahulugan. Freedom is a political principle. Independence is a socio-economic concept. We Filipinos have freedom of speech, freedom of expression, liberty of abode, and freedom to travel. But without money, we do not even have freedom from want, from poverty and social injustice. We cannot eat freedom for breakfast.

My three sons, when they were in college, wanted freedom. They wanted to decide on their own free from parental interference. They want to have the right to go wherever they want to. They want to have all modern gadgets, cars, and condos of their own. But since they do not have the means to stand up on their own, they still rely on me. They cannot afford what their freedom desires for them, they did not have independence. That is precisely the situation confronting our country. We all want freedom. But we do not have the means to be on our own. We are not truly independent.

We cannot even produce our own rice despite the fact that we are mainly an agricultural country with vast farmlands and with better weather conditions compared to other countries. We import chickens and other meat and milk products from other countries. We rely on import of basic commodities; we even buy onions and garlic from China. We taught the Thais and Vietnamese how to grow rice scientifically in the International Rice Research Institute in Los Baños, Laguna. Yet we import millions of tons of rice from Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China.

The World Bank's 2026 Index of Economic Freedom gives the Philippines a score of 62.9 and is number 77 out of 184 countries all over the world. We are number 14 out of 39 countries in Asia and we are number six among the ASEAN member economies, below Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Our population is now 118 million. Our PPP GDP is $1.4 trillion but because of the high population, our per capita income is $12,920 annually. We are many times lower than our ASEAN co-members.

Our inflation rate is averaging 3.2% and our unemployment rate is 2.2% and is on an upward trajectory. Our trade to GDP ratio is 65.9%, one of the worst in Asia. Our public debt to GDP ratio is 56.6% and is still rising. Our total debt as of March 2026 has reached an alarming and unprecedented amount of ?18.39 trillion. The BBM government is targeting to even increase it to ?19.06 trillion. Every Filipino is now indebted to the tune of no less than ?150,000 each.

With 100 as the highest score, the World Bank ranks our government integrity at a miserable 35.4, our judicial effectiveness at 41.8, and our property at 45.8. Our fiscal health is only 60.5. Our Labor Freedom is rated 57.8 and our Financial Freedom only 60. On corruption among ASEAN countries, the most corrupt is Myanmar with a rating of 16 over 100, followed by Cambodia 20, and the Philippines is third in corruption with an embarrassing rating of 32 over 100.

The corruption index of Thailand is 33, Indonesia, 34, Vietnam, 41, Timor-Leste 44, Malaysia 52, Brunei 63, and Singapore 84. In terms of infrastructures in the whole Asia, Singapore has the best at 81, Hong Kong 80.7, Taiwan 79.1, Japan 71.1, South Korea 69.7, UAE 69, Qatar 60, Saudi Arabi, 59.5, Malaysia 53.5, Bahrain 53.4. Oman 51.2, Kuwait 45.1, Kazakhstan 43.6, Thailand 43.1, India 36.4, Jordan 34.5, Turkey 31.3, Indonesia 30.2, and the Philippines is at rock bottom with only 25.0.

As for poverty incidence, 25 million out of 118 Filipinos are living below the poverty line of monthly income of ?13,239. Indonesia with a population of 250 million has only 24 million poor. Malaysia has only 40,000 poor out of a population of 31 million. Vietnam has only 1.5 million poor out of 102 million population, while Thailand has 2.3 million poor out of 72 million people. The poverty rate in the Philippines is an alarming 15.6%, while Indonesia has only 8.57%, Malaysia has 6.2%, Vietnam has 4.06%, and Thailand only 3.4%.

So, tell me, how can we have independence with such difficult socio-economic conditions? We cannot eat freedom for lunch, dinner, and snacks. Thus, this day is a day of reflection and not of celebration. There is no independence, and freedom is just a dream.