BUY PHILIPPINE PRODUCTS (Make sure it is really "Made in the
Philippines" - Efren S. Cruz)
Mga Kababayan,
Alam niyo bang ang Thailand ay kumikita ng (kasama ang export) ng
$85 billion dollars taon-taon (karamihan ay pagkain/agricultural products,
gems/jewellery, cutflowers, turismo, etc.) Ang Pilipinas ay kumikita
lang ng $30 to $35 billion dollars kada taon. Kaya mas mayaman ngayon
ang Thais kahit di sila marunong mag-English kesa Pinoys.
Basahin maigi ang mga nakasulat sa likod ng produkto. Dapat gawa
sa Pilipinas. Pati mga gamit pampaganda (lotion, sabon, shampoo, etc)
tingnan kung Saan ginawa.
Kung mahilig kayo magpasalubong ng mga lotion, toothpaste, sabon,
kape, karne norte o tsokolate - sa atin na lang kayo mamili. Pareho
lang presyo pag nag -convert kayo sa riyal o dollar. Hindi pa kayo
mamomroblema sa bagahe.
Marami na sa ating malls at supermarket na kompleto na sa lahat ng
klase Ng paninda - galing abroad o gawa sa atin. Duon na lang kayo
mamili ng pasalubong, kikita pa ang bansa natin kesa igastos niyo
rito ang pera niyo.
Save jobs, buy Philippine-made For those Filipinos who are sincerely
looking for a way to help the poor in this country, there is a simple
and direct way, which will yield immediate benefits. This is the time
to help save jobs and reduce poverty by buying only products manufactured
in the Philippines.
This is the time to stop patronizing products made by companies like
Caltex and Colgate Palmolive which have decided to "abandon"
this country. This Is not a call for ultra nationalism. This is a
simple call for all of us to help in overcoming our greatest economic
challenge which is the alleviation of poverty.
I realize that there are many people who are legally citizens of
this country, but who do not feel any obligation to help its people.
In fact, there are those who do not even have a sense of kinship or
solidarity with
the Filipino poor.
However, I continue to believe that the majority of Filipinos remain
proud of their heritage and feel that helping the poor is a mission
and not a social burden.
At the same time, this is not an unreasonable demand because this
not a crusade to patronize only Filipino companies. Let me repeat
that I am simply saying that Filipinos should buy products made in
Philippine-based factories that are employing Filipino workers.
For example, why should Filipinos patronize Caltex which closed down
its refinery and is now importing its products? It makes more economic
sense to patronize Petron and Shell which have made major investments
in this country and continue to provide jobs for Filipinos. I am sure
everyone will agree that Petron and Shell products are just as good
as Caltex.
The Colgate products sold in the Philippines are made in Thailand.
Every time you buy these, you help the Thai economy. However, when
you patronize Hapee and Unilever products, you are helping to employ
more Filipinos and are contributing to the Philippine economy. I also
believe that a genuine movement to buy Philippines will encourage
foreign investments because it will assure them of a domestic market.
It will also send a signal to foreign companies that any company wishing
to exploit the Philippine market must not close down its operations
in this country.
We are all so involved now in raising funds and other necessities
for the flood victims who are hungry and do not have any decent shelter.
But we have millions of Filipinos who are not flood victims and yet
do not have
access to the basic necessities of life.
More and more, we hear of increasing crimes. More street children
and social unrest. The solution is not more relief goods or charity.
The only real solution is giving the poor JOBS. Today we hear of more
employment opportunities in the sunrise industries like IT and call
centers. But this will mean jobs only for those who need the least
assistance -- the graduates of schools like De La Salle, UP and Ateneo.
It is the poor who desperately need jobs which only the agriculture
and manufacturing sectors can provide in sufficient numbers.
A few years ago, Raul Concepcion came out with a message that is
still so relevant today. He said, "Now is the time for everyone
to rally behind the country and the economy. Buying local is not just
simply an act of
nationalism. It is an act of survival."
In this Christmas season, this season of buying and giving gifts,
I hope those of us who continue to love our nation and its people
can help create jobs for the poor by buying products made in the Philippines
by Filipino
workers.
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About the Author
Elfren S. Cruz is a professor of Strategic Management at the De
La Salle
University Graduate School of Business. E-mail comments to
cruzes@info.com.ph. .
*************************
Additional Tips : Kung
namimili kayo sa Al-Khobar or (Brunei & Miri) ng mga produktong
galing Pilipinas, ingatang huwag bumili ng me tatak PINOY (gawa ito
sa Thailand) o MAKATI (gawa sa Singapore/Malaysia) o Rufina Patis
(gawa sa Thailand). Ibig sabihin dinadaya tayo ng Thailand o Singapore
o Malaysia.
