Truly a ticklish issue. What does it mean really?
When we talk of poverty alleviation, we should be discussing the ways and the means by which people suffering from poverty are uplifted, and eventually removed from the impoverished living conditions not even fit for humans. It is must not only "alleviate" but it should eradicate poverty where no citizen should ever be below the poverty line.
How can this be done?
Only recently, the alleged perpetrators of a 200 million peso tax credit scam were charged and if indeed it were true, then just imagine the number of families who may have benefitted from the amount had they been put to good use. Then take the cases of smuggling, piracy, tax evasions, bureaucratic SOPs, ghost projects, ghost employees, and other ghastly scams involving billions of pesos. The enormous amount of money lost and taken away or wrestled from the government coffers are enough to build a number of school buildings, provide business capital for the poor and livelihod training , jobs and other works, and other projects which would have helped our fellow countrymen who are in dire need of assistance.
So, living in such a realistic and abhorable scenario, isn't that enough to give us reasons to really fight graft and corruption? That change should really start from us? That we must reject all evils in this society? That we may truly be successful in our efforts to help the poor and the less fortunate?
Admittedly, we cannot effect change now and get the desired results overnight. People, we are fighting a monster here, so huge and so strong that a slingshot may not be sufficient to destroy it. This monster is fed with greed and violence, and nourished by unsatiable desire for power and selfish ends. It grows every moment, for evil lurks in many.
But we have to start somewhere. We need to make the first step and each one must be bold enough as to be meaningful and worthy. Only then that we can talk of poverty alleviation not merely as a lip service or campaign slogan but something which is for real and for good.
We have yet to see in our country or any country for that matter where its own citizens are not to dubbed as slum dwellers, squatters, or informal settlers. We must push for the official recognition of the underground economy that it may given incentives, assisted and protected against capitalist or lending vultures, and also, that the poor consumers will be equally protected and safe. We should work together to address serious concerns on the plight of streetchildren against exploitation or forced labor. We can do a lot of other things but it would be best if we focus on certain areas which are in most need of attention.
Poverty alleviation is not an easy task. But somehow, efforts coupled with success will give hope and something to look forward to on the part of those who need you and all of us. For now, we must control and narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor.
