Challenge in the Middle East trade deals

Batas Mauricio

PART of the joyous celebrations should be the four agreements which the Philippines and Bahrain signed in the course of second leg of the state visit to the Middle East of President Duterte, then the three agreements which our country signed with Saud Arabia earlier, and the World Bank forecast that the Philippines will remain a top economic performer in the East Asia and Pacific regions.

In all, these developments signify robust economic growth from bustling business activities between the Philippines and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which previously were unheard of. I could only agree with what Malacanang spokesman Ernesto Abella said, that Duterte is bringing the Filipino to a place of self-worth, selfule, and self-support.

But be that as it may, the real challenge for the Office of the President now, with these expected influx of business investments from Middle East countries, is how to allow the economic benefits from these trade deals to trickle down to the greater number of the Filipino people. I pray that, unlike in past governments where the deals benefitted only the rich, this time the masses can feel the benefits themselves.

This, however, is not a one-way challenge, which Malacanang and Duterte alone must respond to. Filipinos must have to do their share in ensuring that material prosperity comes down to their level. And while many say the vast majority of Filipinos who are poor can not really do something to compel a more equitable distribution of wealth to favor them, I say there is something that can be done.

First, poor Filipinos must realize, and have to inculcate deeply into their minds, that wealth is principally a matter of spiritual strength. It is to God that they must depend on totally if they wish to experience economic turn-around or material blessings. They must forever remember the truth that they “must not forget the Lord their God because it is He who gives the ability to acquire wealth.”

Second, depending on God means knowing His Word and obeying His commands. Filipinos must therefore acquire the habit of reading the Bible, and then applying what they read to their daily lives. They must do this everyday without let-up and, even when it is difficult at first, things will start changing for the better. Let’s try this now, keeping the faith that God is faithful in His promises!

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There is a disturbing news from the United Nations that millions and millions of people are now facing mass deaths on account of hunger and starvation.

This news report dovetails with a report from The Hunger Project that 795 million people–or one in nine people in the world–are facing hunger and are starving because they do not have enough to eat.

These data can be accessed at http://www.manilatimes.net/growingisk-mass-starvation-deaths-africa-un/322134/ and at http://www.thp.org/knowledge-center/know-your-world-facts-about-hunger-poverty/.

A breakdown by The Hunger Project shows that hunger is worst in Asia which has 525.6 million who are starving, in Sub-Sahara Africa which has 214 million starving, and in Latin America and the Caribbean which have 37 million who are starving, too.

UN on the other hand attributes the growing hunger and starvation in the world to a number of factors, namely drought, violent conflicts and increasing displacement, and, more importantly, “severe funding shortfall” which saw contributions for food aid coming up to only about 21 percent of the targeted amount.

Spokesman Jens Laerke said the UN had requested US$4.4 billion to address the famine in four countries in Yemen, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Somalia, but only US$984 million was raised.

On top of trying to contribute whatever amount we can to  address the famine and hunger problem, what else can we do most effectively to fight starvation? My answer would perhaps be considered funny by many people, but I suggest we engage ourselves in reading the Bible and obeying the commands listed therein, as much as we can, primarily the command to accept Jesus as God and Savior.

The fact is that, hunger and famine have been predicted to happen to people who no longer listen to, and no longer obey, God, because they become subject to His curses. Let’s listen to some of them: “Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed; the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flock (will be cursed); The Lord will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; the ground beneath you will be like iron…”

If we truly want to help in the fight against hunger and famine, we must start listening to God and obeying His commands. This is the only way because it is also said that those who listen to God and obey His commands are blessed in their crops, in their herds and in their flocks, in their barns and they will be given abundant prosperity.
E-mail: batasmauricio@ yahoo.com