Photo from Instagram/ @praybeytbenjamin
On an episode of the noon time Filipino variety show, It’s Showtime, two contestants during the Miss Q&A segment were asked the same question: “Kung dati kang mahirap at mas mahirap ka ngayon, sino dapat sisihin?” . Both contestants answered that the person to blame would be themselves since they failed to strive harder.
While co-host Anne Curtis agreed, Vice Ganda shared his sentiments on the lack of opportunities Filipinos, especially Filipino masses, have.
He told the audience how he used to believe that people are at fault when they die poor, but learned that sometimes the reason for poverty or an unfortunate status is the lack of education and job opportunities among Filipinos. Farmers, street vendors and all other Filipinos in the lower classes work as hard but do not enjoy the same privileges the middle and upper class have.
Filipinos today, especially the lower class, face financial problems as they survive with an average of 250 pesos a day. Safe to say, the minimum wage in the Philippines is not enough to sustain an average Filipino family. Though most of these Filipinos are part of the working population, there is still a need for quality jobs in order for them to survive on a daily basis. Even more, the country now faces a rise of 6.4 % inflation rate.
Vice Ganda’s statement serves as an enlightenment for Filipinos to understand the status of the masses instead of claiming that they are not working hard enough. It also challenges our government officials to provide more quality jobs and education to our fellow Filipinos who can not afford such opportunities. As a society, we are responsible for building this nation. We must strive for progress and we must do it together.
