An uneasy nation

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

Everybody is concerned daily with reports of the tally of new infections of Covid 19 and the news is as dreadful as the preceding day. There is little report about recoveries but constant about deaths. The picture painted is a nation without hope that tomorrow would be better at some point in time. Even the reported “successful” testing in several countries are not enough to give hope; the competitors are undermining the progress of the others.

Lost in the avalanche of hopelessness is a report that will have grave implications for the near future. It will affect the national psyche as well as create the foundation for social unrest. I wrote before that a hungry man knows no law and the quarantines and mindless restrictions, some issued and suddenly withdrawn, can weaken the nation’s stability.

What is really troubling is the SWS finding that says half of the entire labor force of the country (adult of 18 years and over) are now jobless. The implication is clear: the country’s poverty index has risen dangerously.

The report said that the research company, Social Weather Station has found that as of last month, there are 27.3 million jobless Filipinos compared to 7.9 million in December last year. In seven months joblessness jumped by over three and half times.

That is expected because of the sudden closure of business and other areas of work. That is not unknown to us but the statistics bring us out of the dark as to the extent of results of the restrictions.

The number could have gone down a bit because some business have opened but if half of the country’s labor force is still out of work, we are in for more misery as savings and sources of assistance evaporate. The government has made it clear – it has no more money to tide over the jobless and the already poor.

We are seeing therefore the situation of millions of people going hungry. The government has not declared it but we are in a recession and there is no end to the economic slide. The Department of Labor and Employment has not yet issued a statement but we need not wait, it may not come. The DoLE may even deny the SWS findings but we on the ground know because we see or experience the tightening situation.

Under the present state of unease, reports say that militant groups in and out of Congress are planning to call for a People’s Initiative by securing the votes as required by the Constitution.

The leftist party-list lawmakers have thrown their support to push for a People’s Initiative by getting the signatures of at least 10 percent of all registered voters and at least 3 percent in each legislative district as required by Section 32 of Article VI of the 1987 Constitution.

This move, supported by several lawmakers, is related to the denial by Congress of the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN. The convenors of this move believe they will be able to secure that number and overturn the decision of the House.

Can they get the number? Possibly. We recall an earlier SWS survey saying that ¾ of Filipinos questioned supported the renewal of the franchise. I would not be surprised if the Lopezes and the other “economic oligarchs” that received unfavorable comments from President Duterte and felt threatened would financially support this move.

Can the proponents of the Initiative convert the ABS-CBN supporter into votes?

A question is whether the Commission on Elections would conduct the Initiative. Chances are it would not and the President, sensing the direction of this Initiative will stop it. If it is denied then the “initiative” will move on to the streets as did the attempt to pressure Congress to grant the ABS-CBN franchise.

That is worrying. We have the ingredients of social unrest from joblessness, suppression of press freedom, extra-judicial killings and the anti-terrorism law. Throw in the multi-billion corruption of the presidential appointees and the attacks against the Church and the mix becomes toxic.

The move will require huge funding from the anti-Duterte groups. Failing in the People Power to force the renewal of the network’s franchise, will not the Lopezes and other economic giants be open to this opportunity?

We live on uneasy days.