A colleague wanted to bail out on work this week saying someone's celebrating a 40th birthday in their household and they had the whole thing planned, complete with food catering services. It caught my ire. Here was a person complaining of having no money, in debt, but yet could afford a big party. I don't see anything wrong in celebrating another year in a life. In fact, it should be worth celebrating with those close to you. Yet, in a time when prices are soaring like crazy, people are starving, struggling to make ends meet, while others are at the evacuation centers due to a tragedy, maybe it's high time to rethink such a grand celebration.
Is it worth all the money? Sure, it will boost social media attention from your friends. Others will wallow in envy thinking that apart from the rest of the world, here is someone without financial problems, enjoying the time of his/her life because he/she can. Wow, what rich people can do with their money.
We live in very exciting times. Inflation does not seem to go down. It is the highest since the time of former president Gloria Arroyo. What seemed to be just a mere increase in the prices of petroleum products is now slowly affecting everyday things we buy and use. Like millennials would like to call it, inflation is real. Along with the rise of prices is the steady meager salary that workers earn in a month. There is no increase apart from the twenty bucks promised, as if that could even buy you a meal these days.
The common Filipino is becoming poorer while the rich become richer. They think that they have in their capacity the power to buy whatever they want and need. I fear that it would reach a point where food becomes a luxury, not a need. We will all be starving to death if basic food becomes unattainable with the little the Filipino earns. It is so disheartening how jobs are undervalued in this country. No wonder even my own classmates who are still in their early twenties want to go abroad. They say their education will go a long way even with just simple jobs. Life is better outside, they say with no pain of having to deal with inflation.
As the election period looms, I'm sure the idea of suspending added tax to basic goods, commodities, and petroleum products is being studied by the administration. It's not for the better good though, but possibly to gain more votes than the new players. When will our leaders have the will to fulfill their promises to make everyone's life easier? As for me, a starting adult, this inflation is killing me but also teaching me lessons at the same time. There is always value for money when we know how to spend it wisely. For sure, I'm not up for a catered party when I hit 40.