Sara calls for end to 'culture of racism' for lasting peace

By Kaithreen Cruz

September 22, 2022

IN observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, Vice President Sara Duterte emphasized the need to end the pervading culture of racism for meaningful and lasting peace for all.

She explained that racism "carves painful words that linger through generations — resulting in a cycle of violence inflamed by raging hate of a race against another race."

She pointed out the universality of the fight to be recognized, respected, and accorded equal rights as a nation with diverse cultures, traditions, and religions.

"We have a moral obligation to end racism and address the web of violence interlocking around the culture of hate that threatens to overcome us, injure us, and break us apart as a community," Duterte emphasized in her message.

She said that hate should not be allowed to poison people's differences, nor allow it to overpower unity as a community that respects each other.

Rather, she urged people to tap on those differences to ensure that everyone can freely exercise their cultural and other fundamental rights recognized by international laws.

"May we be unrelenting in our mission of engaging all groups and sectors in all our endeavors — ensuring that we build an inclusive society. I trust that Filipinos will support the campaign against racism in the spirit of unity, peace, and progress for our country," Duterte added.

More Filipinos feel better off – survey

By Kaithreen Cruz, Manila Times

MORE Filipinos felt better off in June this year than they were a year ago, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The number of respondents who said their life was better jumped to 29 percent from 18 percent in 2021.

The percentage of respondents who said their quality of life worsened dropped by 18 percent from 49 percent.

The resulting net gainer score — the percentage of respondents who were better off minus those who were worse off — was -2, which the SWS considers as fair. In the previous year, the net gainer score was -31 (very low).

Despite the increase, the net gainer score was still 20 points below the pre-pandemic level of +18 (very high) in December 2019.

"The net gainer score was generally negative until 2015 when it rose to positive numbers until the drastic deterioration beginning with the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. It has since trended back upwards but still has not reached the positive range," the SWS noted.

By geographical area, the net gainer score was highest in Metro Manila at +6 (high), followed by Balance Luzon at +5 (high), Mindanao at -7 (fair), and Visayas at -17 (mediocre).

Compared to last year, the net gainer score was up in all areas — by 36 points in Metro Manila, 32 points in Balance Luzon, 23 points in the Visayas, and 24 points in Mindanao.

Among students, the net gainer score was at -12 among non-elementary graduates, -7 among elementary graduates, +3 among junior high school graduates, and +2 among college graduates.

The SWS said the survey results also showed that hunger was significantly higher among those who got worse off (tagged as "losers") than those who were better off ("gainers") in the past 12 months.

Involuntary hunger was 14.9 percent among losers and 9 percent among gainers.

The net gainers were -11 (mediocre) among the "poor," +8 (high) among "borderline poor," and +6 (high) among "not poor."

The "poor" have more "losers" and fewer "gainers" than the "borderline poor" and "not poor."

SWS conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adult respondents nationwide for the survey, 600 from Balance Luzon and 300 each from Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, from June 26 to 29.

The poll results have a sampling error margin of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, a sampling margin error of ±4 percent in Balance Luzon, and a sampling margin error of ±5.7 percent in Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The SWS said the survey was not commissioned.