What can you say about this?
i started this thread coz all we can hear is always about anti-poverty programs in the govt, how to address it, how we can help, etc...
BUT how about PRO-MIDDLE CLASS programs?
as far as i know, the middle-class people are:
(1) mostly the ones providing jobs (as SME's) to our poor fellow pinoys.
(2) middle-income earners whose pay is not getting any bigger to sustain the increase in consumer prices.
(3) those that cannot afford already the expensive private schools therefore resorting to public schooling of their kids.
(4) those professionals i.e. doctors, engineers, lawyers whose mindsets are already bent on going abroad for greener pastures.
(5) family members that can afford yayas & helpers in their household.
'Collapsing Middle-Class"
Inquirer
Last updated 04:01am (Mla time) 12/16/2007
"DESPITE economic growth, the number of middle class Filipinos and their share of the national income pie have shrunk."...
..."Another sign is the growing number of students transferring from private schools to public schools because of spiraling tuition.
The rising cost of goods and services, partly as a result of high fuel prices, is further eroding the living standards of middle-class families."...
..."Antipoverty? How about pro-middle class?"
Debate on definition
Sometimes, the middle class is defined simply as the statistical middle class, meaning those whose income is in the middle of the income distribution, like the middle 50 percent. No matter if the statistical middle class cannot afford the so-called middle-class lifestyle--government statisticians cannot! But surely, the debate will continue as to what constitutes the middle class.
..."The number of middle-income families actually increased from 1997 to 2000, but decreased from 2000 to 2003."
..."But then, if the Pinoy middle class is truly shrinking, why are spas burgeoning? Or why does business at Starbucks seem to be sizzling? And our neighbors at Rustan's always a-rushing? Maybe we are spending just much more than we can afford?
Have a Merry Christmas!"
for the complete article:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquirer...icle_id=107131