Vol. VI, No. 14 – August 15, 2024
The Marcos Jr. administration’s claim that only one in ten Filipinos live below the poverty line is a staggering distortion of reality. This figure is not just misleading, it is a grave insult to millions of Filipinos struggling to survive on the most destitute living conditions.
Setting the poverty threshold at an absurdly low P64 per day ($1.13) for food (or a laughable P21.30 or $0.38 per meal), proves how the reactionary government is not just out of touch, it is blatantly disregarding the crushing hardships faced by the toiling Filipino masses on a daily basis.
Let’s break this down: P21.30 per meal in today’s economy is a grave insult. With the price of rice reaching as high as P60 per kilo in some areas, how is a typical family of five expected to feed themselves on such a pittance? A kilo of chicken, a common protein source and alternative to pork, now costs upwards of P200. Even basic vegetables like onions and tomatoes have seen price surges, with onions hitting P100 per kilo just last year.
These numbers make it clear that the Marcos Jr. administration’s poverty line is a cruel joke – a figure so out of sync with reality that it can only be understood as a deliberate attempt to downplay the severity of the crisis.
But the economic mismanagement does not stop there. The Marcos Jr. admin’s inability to control inflation has left ordinary Filipinos reeling. In July 2023, inflation was recorded at 4.7%, and while the government touts this as an improvement, it conveniently ignores the fact that the poorest Filipinos bear the brunt of these price hikes. Basic goods such as rice make up a significant portion of the average Filipino diet and rice prices surged by over 20% in the same year, pushing many families deeper into poverty.
The dire economic conditions perpetuated by the Marcos Jr. administration are not just statistics – they form the material basis that fuels a growing sense of desperation among the Filipino people. With poverty levels artificially deflated and the cost-of-living spiraling out of control, many Filipinos are finding themselves with no other recourse but to take up arms especially those in the rural countryside.
The poverty statistics propagated by Marcos’ stooges are a cruel joke, and tragically, Marcos jr. himself is at the butt of this joke. By manipulating numbers and ignoring the harsh realities faced by millions of Filipinos, he has crafted a narrative that is as hollow as it is dangerous. In doing so, he is unwittingly sowing the seeds of his own downfall.
As more and more Filipinos are driven to desperation and forced to take up arms, the very fabric of his administration unravels. The armed movement in the countryside continues to grow despite their claims of a few fronts remaining and this growth is a direct consequence of their inability to grasp the roots of the armed conflict.
This joke will end not in laughter, but in the erosion of Marcos Jr.’s power, as the cracks in his regime widen and ultimately, bring it crashing down.
