Like the proverbial chicken and egg, Inflation and Corruption is often concepts written side by side.

Inflation in the Philippines has been fluctuating in 2023. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, headline inflation or the overall inflation in the Philippines slowed down further to 6.1 percent in May 2023 from 6.6 percent in April 20231. In January 2023, the country’s headline inflation rate increased to 8.7 percent from 8.1 percent in December 20222. The main driver of inflation in January was housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, with an inflation of 8.5 percent 2.

In terms of corruption, the Philippines ranked 116th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2022, which assesses the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories globally3. The country’s latest CPI score was 33, unchanged from the previous year and its lowest score in the index3. Transparency International still lists the country as among the “significant decliners” in the Asia-Pacific region3.

Corruption is a complex issue that is difficult to address. While the Philippine government has implemented strategies to foster higher levels of integrity and prevent corruption4, it remains a challenge to completely eradicate corruption. It is important for governments to continue to work towards improving transparency and accountability to combat corruption.
Inflation in the Philippines can have serious economic and social implications. Inflationary impacts are felt across all sectors of society, as prices rise and wages fail to keep up with the rate of inflation. This leads to an increase in the cost-of-living, resulting in an overall decrease in purchasing power for consumers1. Lifestyles are forced to change as prices continue to soar, with most Filipinos lowering their standards of living1. Those that rely on their fixed incomes now have to find other sources of income or they run the risk of having insufficient funds for sustenance1. Inflation can also lead to hoarding, social unrest, and revolts1.

However, there are ways to manage the effects of inflation, such as planning, exploring other sources of income, reducing expenses, and venturing into investments1. The Philippine economy has also shown resilience in the face of inflation. For example, GDP grew at a faster-than-expected 6.4% in the first quarter of 2023 despite elevated inflation and the central bank’s aggressive monetary tightening.

Corruption in the Philippines has serious effects on public trust and political institutions, hindering democratic socialization and inclusion1. Corruption can also lead to loss of public spending and hinder investment and economic growth1. It is a pervasive problem in the country, with charges of corruption, graft, and cronyism common among government officials at all levels1.

For Philippine business leaders, corruption is the top risk to economic recovery, trumping inflation and rising oil prices2. A survey conducted by the Management Association of the Philippines with PwC showed that 67% of CEOs say corruption could delay economicr ecovery, while lower investments and political uncertainty are next among their worries2.
In terms of morality, corruption is a failure of public ethics, and generally holds back growth and progress3. Since the late 1990s, the “ethics barometers” of both the World Bank and Transparency International have indicated that the overall quality of Philippine public ethics has slipped3. Corruption has always been linked to dishonesty and “dirtiness”4. In fact, one of the most prevalent effects of corruption in the Philippines is giving fuel to the belief that politics is inherently dirty4.

In all, corruption affects inflation and creates problems for the country.

IN that part of the gospel where Christ talks about making war in order to have peace and about considering those who love father and mother more than him as not worthy of him (cfr. Mt 10,34-11,1), we are actually reminded that we really have to love God first and always if we want to love everybody and everything else properly.

God is a God of love. That is his very nature which he wants to share with us since we are his image and likeness, sharers of his life and nature. But given our wounded human nature, there is now some need for making war, for doing some struggle, if we want to love properly or to share the very nature of the love of God.

That is why when Christ was asked what the greatest commandment of God was, he unhesitatingly said that it is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Mt 22,37) It is this giving our all to God that comprises what true love is. And so doing, we actually receive from God a lot more than what we give him.
Of course, we need to have a strong faith to believe in this truth about what true love is. We have to be wary of our tendency to rely more on our own human estimation of things that only give us a narrow, superficial if not erroneous view of things.

Thus, we need to discipline ourselves, or using the words of Christ, we need to enter by the narrow gate. Given our wounded and sinful condition here on earth, Christ suggests that we choose to enter by the narrow gate. (cfr. Lk 13,22-30) That’s simply because we are very prone to get spoiled by the good things in the world and to develop undue attachments that detach us from God who is our everything in life.

Entering by the narrow gate also corrects our tendency to be presumptuous of God’s mercy without giving due consideration to divine justice and retribution. That’s why, Christ also told us that to follow him, we ought to deny ourselves and carry the cross. (cfr. Mt 16,24)
It does this even while it also helps us from avoiding falling into the opposite predicament, which is despair. In other words, it helps us develop a true, correct and delicate conscience, not a lax nor a scrupulous one.

We should make some kind of working plan for us to follow this indication of Christ. This concern should be attended to with deliberate effort. We should not take it for granted, since we know we are notorious for easily falling into an easy way of life, into a happy-go-lucky kind of lifestyle.

In short, this indication is not meant for us to be a killjoy. It certainly does not prevent us from enjoying the things of this world, as long as we know how to convert the things of this world into a pathway to God, a form of prayer, a way to engage with God in an abiding way.
Thus, we have to be wary of our tendency to be completely taken over by worldly values, like practicality, profitability and the like, which while legitimate can be inimical to us if not inspired by love for God and for others, that is, when they are pursued simply for self-serving interest. We have to be most wary of the new developments in technology, etc., which can easily intoxicate us and take us away from God.

The power generation arm of Manila Electric Co., (Meralco) called Meralco Power Gen Corp. (MGen), gears up to develop larger renewable energy (R E) projects toward achieving its target green energy capacity thrust.

In a statement released from MGen it said “we expect some major expansion projects in the next six months to a year and these will not be the 50 to60 megawatts (MW), but bigger projects.” Accordingly, MGen will consider to commission this month a new solar project in Rizal that will expand the operational renewable energy capacity to 200 MW, from its present 75-MWac solar plant in Baras, Rizal being developed through PH Renewables Inc., a joint venture with Mitsui’s local unit MitRenewables Philippines.

In collaboration with MGen Renewable Energy Inc., MGen is building a 1,500 MW of renewable energy projects within five years time, initially locally for the Philippines and look for other opportunities in Southeast Asian countries.

Incidentally, as early as 2021, MGen had already ventured towards a balanced and low carbon energy mix through the opening of BulacanSol’s 55-MW solar plant in San Miguel, Bulacan.

MY COMMENT:
Each time that I read about the number of local companies and foreign investors geared at tapping the country’s rich renewable resources, viz, wind, solar, and hydro, I say to myself that once the Philippines is able to conquer its energy security problem, only then can we say that its economy and standard of living are on the road to recovery.

I am still inviting renewable energy investors to visit central Philippines – the Visayan Regions 6, 7, and 8 and tap their solar, wind and hydro resources for their R E potentials.
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