by: DONALD SEVILLA
ECONOMY OR THE ENVIRONMENT?
While others may try to find a middle ground upon which to anchor their choices, without any qualms a good leader knows what’s best for everyone.
When push comes to shove, taking the cudgels for the greater good is the hallmark of good leadership and stewardship.
As we are all stewards on this earth tasked to look after our precious resources so our future generations can enjoy, we must take our responsibilities to heart.
We must be diligent and not remiss in our duties. For what good is our money and wealth when we no longer have food to eat, clean water to nourish our bodies and fresh air to freely breathe ?
When we wreak havoc on the environment, nature lashes back at us with a vengeance. Why do you think we have these severe weather phenomena that now seem to be the “new normal” ?
Typhoons getting stronger and the earth heating up so fast are no chance occurrences but products of our long disregard for the world we live in. Climate change is real and we are now slowly facing nature’s wrath.
Do we want to add to our “environmental sins and degradations”? While we want to uplift the lives of our people, are things we are doing really meant to improve them?
We justify building in protected areas and invite businesses to provide economic impetus but come to think of it, are we really and at what price?
Applying a simple cost-benefit analysis may help open our eyes. Take these heavy industries for example such as shipbuilding and repair. Though they are deemed essential for our maritime industry, do we think having them here in our pristine shores and environment is beneficial in the long term?
While it could generate jobs, how many of our people can directly benefit from it? Big business and its investors and sponsors reap the big rewards to the prejudice of the majority who are deprived of their basic livelihood in the fishery ecosystem.
Do we think that after a few years in operation the rich marine ecosystem in the area will not be rendered barren? Can this business operation feed the thousands who may definitely be affected and mitigate the ripple effects on the economy later on?
While true it could provide economic opportunities in the present, can the greater majority benefit from it? Who stands to benefit more from these things by the way?
Band-aid or interim solutions may not be the brightest options after all .When things no longer become feasible and when their investments have been recouped, big businesses can always close shop and relocate elsewhere favorable to them and start over. This is true to the tourism industry as well. But who will be left holding the proverbial empty bag and to deal with the irreversible environmental damage?
We are not anti-progress and anti-business but there is more than just making money and profit here. We have to look ahead and develop a sustainable mindset otherwise we will be dangerously playing with our future.
Before we start thinking “big” we must develop the basic framework for our local economy . We must enhance our agriculture and fisheries to stabilize our food security to offset whatever negative impact the onslaught, other industries may bring to us.
Progress is not merely putting money in our pockets but the freedom to enjoy it, free from harm to our surroundings and the people around us. Real progress is encompassing not exclusive. And true leadership is looking after and standing up for the greater good.
Which do you think is a smart choice?