I have worried about our country’s future before, but that worry has never felt more intense than it does now.
I worry about my children’s future.
And I feel a deep sadness for Filipinos who have fewer choices and smaller financial cushions than I do.
As an entrepreneur, I have generally found ways to grow the businesses I start. Opportunities still exist. What frightens me now is the widening gap between those opportunities and confidence in the country’s direction.
Today, Oct 28, PBBM said, “Don’t panic,” after the peso closed at ₱64.17 to the dollar. He pointed to rising oil prices and healthy reserves. Those are relevant explanations. They are not a complete answer to families wondering how much more their budgets can absorb. A weaker peso can make imported fuel, medicines and equipment more expensive. Entrepreneurs face higher costs; families worry about the next bill.
September inflation reached 7.2%. Rice prices rose 20.3% from a year earlier. Behind those percentages ay mga magulang na pinagkakasya ang pagkain, mga manggagawang muling nagkukuwenta ng pamasahe, at mga pamilyang ipinagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangang hindi na kaya ng budget.
The economic figures offer little reassurance. Weak consumer demand and falling investment threaten business expansion and future job creation. January–July net foreign direct investment fell 23.9% to $4.07 billion. For entrepreneurs, that is another reason to demand policies that make long-term investment more predictable.
Upper-middle-income status is a good label, but it reflects average national income per person using the previous year’s data. It does not establish that today’s salary covers tomorrow’s groceries.
External shocks matter. Yet the World Bank also identified policy uncertainty as a drag on investment and confidence. Governance therefore has responsibilities that cannot be outsourced to explanations about global events.
What unsettles me most is that I still do not see a convincing, publicly verifiable turnaround from this administration.
Only political battles remain highly visible.
The results that would reassure a parent or entrepreneur feel far less tangible.
We need clear deadlines for restoring investment, lowering business costs, protecting food supply and helping vulnerable households—with progress measured against published commitments. Reassurance must survive contact with grocery receipts, electricity bills and business accounts.
Panic is not an economic strategy. But neither is telling frightened people to calm down while failing to demonstrate how their lives will become more secure.
Mr. President, I am asking you to understand why we are afraid—and give us evidence that your government can change the direction.
And frankly, based on what we have seen so far, I am losing confidence that you can.
My children cannot inherit a press release. They need a country that works.
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OPINION | ROB RANCES
