The present looks bleak so as the future . The Inflation may have breach 8 percent and as we observe the high cost of living is taking its tool in the vast majority of the people. World Data Info website explains it this way:

The prices of consumer goods are determined and evaluated annually in almost all countries. If prices are higher than in the previous year, this is known as inflation. If they are lower, it is deflation. This calculated inflation rate is an essential component of monetary stability.

In 2021, the global inflation rate was 3.4 percent. In the European Union, it was 2.6 percent. For the United States, a year-over-year price increase of 4.7 percent was determined. Significantly higher values are expected worldwide for 2022.
Alarmingly we have this data: The inflation rate for consumer prices in the Philippines moved over the past 61 years between 0.7% and 50.3%. For 2021, an inflation rate of 3.9% was calculated.

During the observation period from 1960 to 2021, the average inflation rate was 8.5% per year. Overall, the price increase was 12,625.67%. An item that cost 100 pesos in 1960 costs 12,725.67 pesos at the beginning of 2022.

https://www.worlddata.info/asia/philippines/inflation-rates.php).
The Philippine Statistics Authority released in November 4.2022 this figures;
Inflation in the Philippines for the bottom-30 percent income households continued its uptrend movement as it further increased to 7.3 percent in October 2022, from 6.7 percent in September 2022. This brings the year-to-date inflation for this particular income group of consumers at the national level to 4.8 percent. In October 2021, inflation rate was recorded at 4.8 percent. (Tables A and B, and Figure 1)

The higher annual increment in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 7.5 percent in October 2022, from 6.5 percent in the previous month, primarily contributed to the higher inflation in the country for the bottom 30 percent income households. Also contributed to the acceleration were restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services with 5.5 percent inflation; and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance with 5.9 percent inflation.

In short, we are in Recession. In ordinary Juan’s term, Bad Times are here. It’s with a sad note that some people are denying this reality . Octa Research had released a survey result showing 36 percent of our people are not satisfied with the way government are handling the problem on Inflation .

Thus, it is with a great wonder why we should as a country use our surplus to invest when we don’t have much fiscal space and resilience? Maharlika Fund are Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWFs) are essentially government-backed entities which invest foreign currency reserves, typically implemented by nations with sufficient fiscal space and resilience. (Yuga Tech.com)

There are lots of questions that baffles ordinary Filipinos like this writer . Yuga Tech disclosed the source of this fund namely from the following:

The bill specified the following financing sources to constitute the initial investment of PHP 250 billion:
§ Government Service Insurance System (GSIS): PHP 125 billion
§ Social Security System (SSS): PHP 50 billion
§ Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP): PHP 50 billion
§ Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP): PHP 25 billion
The simple question lingers, what will happen to the Pension Funds at GSIS and SSS where hard up Filipinos contribute monthly? What will become of the main Government Banks Landbank and Development Bank of the Philippines when their funds will be the source of this investments, knowing the volatile reality of the world market fueled by Geopolitical Wars unfolding and would be unfolding?

For us in the lower strata of the population where our names wont command millions of followers asked are we just pawn to the garbo and pride of our leaders?
As a young boy my Grandmother introduced me to the Hans Christian Andersen story The Emperor’s New Clothes. The central theme of Hans Christian Andersen’s story of the Emperor’s new clothes is that illusion depends at least in part on self-deception on the part of those being deceived. The Emperor and his courtiers pretend he is wearing clothes because they do not wish to appear foolish; in the end they look more so.

THAT gospel story of the paralytic brought by his friends with great effort to Christ for healing, (cfr. Lk 5,17-26) can tell us a number of things. One is that we need a strong faith when we need to ask God for some special favor.

Another would be that miracles are meant more to forgive sins than just curing some physical ailment. That’s because the spiritual health is more important than our bodily health. After all, it is our spiritual soul when animated by the Holy Spirit that gives life. (cfr. Jn 6,63) The body’s life and health ultimately depends on our soul, the principle of life.

Still another lesson we can get from that gospel story would be that we have to be wary of our tendency to have a critical spirit. That’s because in that gospel story, Christ first forgave the sins of the paralytic for which some of the Pharisees around accused him of blasphemy, convinced that Christ was already overstepping his authority and power. That was when Christ proceeded to cure the paralytic to show he had the power to forgive sins since he indeed was the expected Messiah from God.

Let’s be wary of our tendency to be fault-finders, negative thinkers, incorrigible critics, etc. This tendency usually springs from a brand of righteousness that is not properly rooted on the real source of righteousness who can only be God, as shown to us by Christ and inspired in us by the Holy Spirit. It is more self-righteousness.

We have to be most wary of this spiritual anomaly that can come to us anytime. It usually takes advantage of our natural inclination to seek the truth, the good and the beautiful in life—in short, what is right—and corrupts that inclination because it is not properly rooted on the ultimate source of righteousness who is God himself. It’s so blinding that it can even assume the appearance of holiness.

Most prone to this illness are those with some special endowments in life, be it intelligence, talents, wealth, fame, power, health, beauty, etc. When all these gifts are not clearly grounded and oriented toward God, the source of all righteousness, the problem starts.
This is the irony of ironies because one can earnestly pursue the path of holiness and does practically everything to be good and holy, and yet ends up the opposite of what is intended. That’s when one practically has the trappings of goodness and holiness and yet misses the real root of righteousness who is God.

To deal with this tendency properly, we have to see to it that in whatever we do, we should always have purity of intention. And that can only happen when everything we do, from our thoughts, desires to our words and deeds, is done for the glory of God and for none other.
Also, we have to learn how to react properly when we see the defects, mistakes and sins of the others. That we see them does not entitle us to be critical and uncharitable. Rather, we should try our best to help them in any way we can. And the most basic thing we can do is to pray for them, even offering sacrifices for them, so that they can be transformed or converted by God’s grace.

We should never be critical-minded for long. While we cannot avoid being critical as our spontaneous reaction, we should try our best to overcome it as soon as possible.

Denmark Ambassador Pranz-Michael Mellbin was quoted saying that “The Philippines has every opportunity to be the next renewable energy (RE) success story. It has the renewable energy options for a healthy and abundant future energy mix – geothermal, hydro, biomass, solar, on- and off-shore wind and waste-to-energy.”

Indeed, the encouraging story of about the country’s rich RE mix to be realized need to be tapped after a thorough, meticulous planning process and a just transition from fossil to renewable energy involving not only regulation, but also jobs, distribution, and fair pricing are key ingredients that would help the Philippines and thrive despite the current fuel hikes, looming power outages and energy insecurity facing the country in future months.
Further, Ambassador Mellbin said “the key is for the Philippines to find the right partners (public-private partnerships) to transition to renewable energy.” Accordingly, while REs have a lot potential, it also comes with challenges that need to be addressed.

For its part, the Department of Energy (DOE) “has recently made significant steps forward in the country’s push for the development of renewable energy.”

MY COMMENT:

It does matter a lot to tap personalities with deep knowledge on energy planning, management and utilization to put the energy issue in its proper perspective. Amb. Mellbin’s observation on the state of energy in the country need to be taken seriously, suggestions must be addressed thoroughly, objectively.
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Rural and urban residents sometimes clash with their differing beliefs since it cannot be denied that, though living on the same islands, we Filipinos have varied cultural traditions and practices as exhibited by these two inhabitants.

As can be observed, people in remote areas tend to be superstitious. They have plenty of beliefs that are anchored on superstitions, that was still inherited from their forbears. As a result of these beliefs, they practice rituals and other observances that eventually identify them with the ancients, which are no longer observed by people in urban areas.

Urban dwellers, on the other hand, are mostly skeptical as regards the existence of deities and unseen beings. They are heavily influenced by Western ideas and practices that look down on superstitious beliefs. They are more exposed to advances in science and technology that, as we know, entirely disregard anything that is supernatural in nature. And so, it is not surprising that these people would sometimes mock and ridicule superstitious practices.

When these people clash over this issue, they differ a lot, even accusing one another, or threatening one another with consequences. When, for example, urban dwellers would go to farmlands and happen to do certain acts that the locals consider to be offensive to the gods, the latter would warn the former that bad omen would come their way unless they will appease those deities through some kind of sacrifice.

These sacrifices, if undone, may result in mysterious sickness on the part of the offenders. The locals would then underscore that, indeed, unseen beings were offended and that they should be offered the required offerings. This may include blood sacrifice—certain animals being killed, their blood spilled on certain spots where the offense was accordingly committed.

Once such a ritual is accomplished, the sickness may eventually go away, thanks to the sacrifice made which, in reality, is a form of worship offered to these gods and goddesses. Just as the illness came mysteriously, the ‘healing’ will likewise disappear in the same manner. This, to the urban residents, are beyond comprehension and logic. But they have no choice but to agree with the said rituals otherwise they would be physically impaired.
Rural folks, on the other hand, are shocked at how city lifeways operate. They can’t fathom, for instance, that almost every move in the metropolis requires money. The advances in communication, transportation, etc., are mind-boggling to them. They can’t imagine that, with a click of a finger, people can already communicate with one another. Moreover, they can virtually talk to each other face-to-face, via mobile phones or tablets, even if they are continents apart.

These differences and lifeways set the urban and rural people apart, in seemingly different worlds. When they meet, a clash of cultures ensues, and the results may not at all be that pleasant, but all the more confusing.