The Hijacking of the Filipino Dream and the Underground Economy

Based on a study, the average Filipino dreams of finishing an education, marrying the lady of his dreams, securing a housing loan and gifting himself with a car. Simple. Achievable? Of course. 


Every year, more than 3 million Filipinos enter college. These are the survivors, those who had wiggled their way out of the public school system and the expensive private schools. 


From these 3 million, a million graduates from the skills education sector, while more than 2 million dropped out, unable to cope with the rising costs of education. After four years, only 450,000 on average, gets out of college and join the rising mass of the unemployed. 


This happens every single year, based on government data I read from the CHED, NSCB and the Census. 


Those of us whose desire for a better life is as intense as our hunger for the good things, prepare for the life of an Overseas Filipino Worker. We will bet even our lives or at least one of our internal organs, just to get that dream job somewhere, somehow. 


If stats from the Immigration are to be believed, more than 4,000 Filipinos go out of the country every, single day. That is actually equivalent to about 1.5 million for a year, or half of those who initially desired to finish a college education here (accurately, this is "more or less").


These millions will either get what they desired after a few years or join the rising victims of human trafficking or the modern day version of slavery. They are brought back into the system, now poorer than before. They will then try to get out of the country, employing every means possible, even sacrificing the futures of their own families, just to get that dream going. 


Those who simply can't afford going abroad, join the rising mass of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. Others, well, join the increasing numbers of the underground economy, and unconsciously take part in the multi-billion peso underground economy.


In the underground economy, there are a few rules. Of course, there are those dominant players who act not just as the equivalent of public servants, but as Lords and Masters of the Damned.


This underground economy grows bigger every single minute. This economy absorbs every single victim of the system and provides even an alternative "green pasture" for those who are strong willed and dreams of surviving the harsh landscape.


Unknown to all, an economy cannot operate without a government, and in this case, there are several who operate this underground economy like Presidents, Vice President and Cabinet secretaries.


They are those who control the flow of goods and products, those who belong to the Cartels that control the distribution channels and those who protect the system from external pressures. Of course, the PNP provides the muscle to protect the economy from government intervention. 


Shocking? Oh no. This happens every where. When there is a capitalist system, and the system goes bunkers, expect something like this to morph out of the existing one.