OF TREES AND FOREST
In 1992, I reluctantly decided to run for the lone congressional seat in the then-district of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa. My introduction to politics came when my father-in-law, Congressman Filemon Celestino Aguilar, fell ill. As the May 1992 elections neared, people were busy forming a ticket: Mayor Rosalino Riguera for reelection, my brother-in-law Vergel “Nene” Aguilar for vice mayor, and my father-in-law—endearingly called “Lolo Cong” by his constituents—for Congress.
A few months earlier, discussions had begun about who should replace him on the ticket. Somehow, those talks led some to see me as an ideal congressional candidate. I refused; I had no interest in politics. Running for office was the farthest thing from my mind. Even as a kid, I never once thought or said, “I want to be President of the Philippines when I grow up.” It wasn’t until college that I started pondering the “bigger picture”—dreaming bigger dreams.
After consulting my family, I finally said yes. One key reason: My growing belief that political institutions—especially in maintaining stability—play a crucial role in economic development. History shows that where economies rise and fall like tides, political stability stands as the unyielding anchor. It’s no mere theory but a hard lesson: nations that harness politics for cohesion thrive, while those fractured by discord drift toward peril.
We must consider this today as our economy faces severe headwinds. Geopolitical storms are already battering our shores from afar. The grinding war in Ukraine—now in its fourth year—has spiked global energy prices, squeezing our import-dependent economy and inflating costs for every Filipino household. The ongoing Iran-US conflict has roiled oil markets, threatening supply chains that feed our factories and farms.
In its April 2026 report, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasts Philippine GDP growth at just 4.4 percent for 2026—slower than the previous 5.3 percent estimate. “The Philippine economy,” the report asserts, “with its heavy dependence on imported fuel, will face challenges from rising external risks.”
Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) latest consumer price index (CPI) report shows headline inflation soaring to a 37-month high of 7.2 percent in April. PSA data also revealed that the purchasing power of the peso hit a record low of 0.73—meaning the value of ₱1 from 2018 has shed 27 centavos, down to just ₱0.73. These numbers represent significant headwinds that the Philippine economy needs to navigate in the foreseeable future.
Worsening matters are internal political squabbles—endless rivalries, partisan gridlock, and zero-sum feuds—that act like leaks in a hull already taking on water. They erode investor confidence, delay critical reforms, and divert energy from what matters: jobs, infrastructure, and prosperity for all. I’ve seen it before: the lost decades of the 1970s and ’80s, when division compounded crisis.
Today, with the world in flux, such noise risks tipping us from momentum to stagnation.
The antidote is unity—not uniformity of thought, which is impossible, but a shared vision. Politicians across the spectrum—administration allies and opposition alike—must rise above the fray.
They should forge consensus on fundamentals: fiscal discipline, trade diversification, and bold infrastructure to unlock our archipelago’s potential. This is statesmanship: leaders who debate fiercely in chambers but unite in service of the nation. Paths may differ, but none should dispute the destination—a Philippines where economic development lifts everyone.
Our people deserve no less. In these testing times, let politics be the builder, not the breaker.
Steady hands will guide us through the storm to calmer, prosperous waters.
For comments, please send email to: mbv_secretariat@vistaland.com.ph and/ or mannyvillar.com.
