NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 11 July) – It’s the fault of Russian President Vladimir Putin and not of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. (BBM) why the price of fossil fuel and basic commodities is rising sky-high, which gravely undermines food security throughout the archipelago.
Putin’s lust for power and glory is responded by the West with severe sanctions that aim to paralyze Russia’s economy and isolate the superpower as a political pariah in the world stage.
The worst of the punitive measures to stop the calamitous Russo aggression in Ukraine is the oil embargo, a self-sacrificing move of the West that has boomeranged with a domino effect.
The oil embargo constricts supply and hit hard on the productivity and comfort of the West. It spikes the prices of fossil fuel in the world market, making it inaccessible to many countries.
The oil crisis adversely impacts on agricultural production, transport and distribution, triggering a diminution of food supply particularly in hard-pressed economies. Hunger and political chaos loom everywhere.
So, do not blame BBM for our present economic malady.
BBM, of course, was fully aware of the worsening economic condition of the country when he ran for the top-most position of the land. He knows, therefore, what’s ahead of him. He dared.
The ball is now in his court.
Now that he is already President he has to show his mettle. He needs to solve the crisis quick and fast before the country careens to a Sri Lankan situation.
The imperative is action and no longer promises.
Let us pray for him. Never mind if you were hooked by his endearing promise of diffusing hunger with a P20/kg of rice in the food stall. That’s impossible. Anything too good to be true is a scam.
Pray for him even if you were scammed: his failure is our disaster.
MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines)
