J M
- Vice Ganda shared his insights regarding the ongoing poverty in the Philippines.
- He stated that there are cases where a person is poor not because he’s lazy, but because he is deprived of opportunities.
Poverty has been a perennial problem and the debate over who to blame is endless.
In the September 11 episode of It’s Showtime‘s Miss Q & A segment, Vice Ganda gave his insights about poverty.
The Miss Q & A contestants were asked, “Kung mahirap ka noon at mas lalong mahirap ka ngayon sino ang sisisihin mo?” and both answered that they will blame themselves.
Vice, on the other hand, said that he used to think that way too, but as he matured, he realized that it’s not always the person’s fault.
“Alam mo ganyan din ako dati. Sinasabi ko na “Kung mahirap ka tapos lalo kang humihirap o namatay kang mahirap, kasalanan mo”. Pero ako ngayon sa dami ng napapanood at nababasa ko, masasabi ko na hindi na rin laging kasalanan nung tao.”
The comedian added that there are a lot of times that the poor becomes poorer because they are deprived of opportunities.
“Kasi maraming pagkakataon na kaya lalo kang humihirap kasi you’ve being deprived of opportunities. Imaginin mo yung mga magsasaka, hindi sila tamad. Nagsasaka sila araw-araw. Nagpapakahirap sila maya’t maya pero bakit hindi sila umaasenso?
“Kasi habang nag-iipon sila, hindi pa nila naiipon yung target nila, tumataas na naman ang presyo. So imbis na maka-ipon sila, nauubos yung mga ipon nila.
“Yung mga nagtitinda ng taho, nga fishball, araw araw nagtatrabaho sila. They work hard. Hindi sila tamad. Pero they’re being deprived of opportunities.”
He gave educatioon as an example and said that it’s a right, but not everyone can afford it.
“Katulad na lang ng edukasyon. Di ba sinasabi merong right for education sa Pilipinas, pero bakit ang mahal naman ng edukasyon, eh hindi nga nila ma-afford. So nagtatrabaho sila pero hindi talaga nila ma-afford. Kaya they’re being deprived of opportunities.”
Vice said that the people are not always at fault, sometimes it’s also the society and the government.
“Para sa akin, hindi laging masisisi yung tao. Masisisi mo rin ang lipunan at ang gobyerno.”
Video Courtesy of penseeves (Twitter)
He also shared that for him, it’s a rich person’s obligation to help those who are poor as their wealth isn’t only given to benefit themselves.
