I was just reading the economic plan of one of our neighbors and I noticed that one of their goals is to move their economy up the value chain. I haven't really listened closely to what P-Noy's plans are for his tenure but I do hope that he plans to move our economy up the value chain too. There are many talented people in our country, and it's a pity that they'd have to work in jobs which are really below the value chain. The truth is, a call center agent is just a glorified telephone operator. We are definitely more talented than that!
Of course, all this aiming for a higher value chain will not come with our present educational system. Even in our best schools, the top students are still aiming for courses which will give them employment abroad instead of giving them opportunities to build their ideas here in the country. I admit, I myself have stretched to the limit, what my education has offered me and I just wished I had a more fancy higher education degree so I could contribute more to the local economy. Everything I am doing right now is just applying what I've read from the books and the journals and the papers which interests me and which I think can contribute to my personal growth.
It would help too if the policies of our government point to a more ambitious economic plan, rather than relying mainly on the remittances of our OFWs - maybe identify areas in the economy where we can be more competitive with the world economy. Agriculture, mining, tourism and biotechnology are some sectors that we can excel in and encourage the youth to focus their studies on, instead of churning thousands of nurses yearly without any clear prospect for them of local or foreign employment.
I frankly don't find P-noy decisive at all with his economic policies and I'm not even sure his techno-economic advisers are that good. Or really care about things. All I see now after 100 days is just a man who's coasting along. Not quite a good thing when you want our economy to go up a notch.
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