Despite continuous campaign and effort to heighten security and protect civilians, sporadic incidents of senseless killings hug the headlines. Whether done intentionally or otherwise, the recent spate of carnages has brought the country several steps backward in our race for economic development.

Our claim for a stable political and economic environment is now imperilled by such occurrences.

Although these carnages are not intentionally done to destabilize the economy, they nevertheless result in political and economic disorder.

These gory incidents if not properly addressed and resolved will affect investor confidence. What perhaps is quite alarming is not the personalities but the ruthless nature of the incidents.

The reckless and indiscriminate firing of guns that killed and injured several innocent people mostly during the New Year revelry, the treacherous killings of 13 people in Atimonan, Quezon, the killing fields in Kawit, Cavite with 7 fatalities and 11 injured and several other disturbing incidents gradually seem to show that the nation is immersed in the culture of death.

No matter how you look at it, some of the perpetrators have connections or linkages with the military. They may either be the military themselves, ex-military or have strong connections with the military. These incidents need proper re-evaluation of the people in the service lest the people be at the mercy of scalawags in the military service.

The state of peace and order though not measurable is an indispensable component of our economic growth. It is likewise a major input to both economic and political stability. Without peace and order any current growth of our economy remains provisional.

The ticklish issue of a gun ban has become both personal and political. The President being a gun enthusiast, and his known position against a total gun ban makes the issue of a total gun ban much like the call for a total log ban.

Pro gun advocates are banking on the reasoning that if ever it is implemented, only the lawless elements and loose firearms will be the ones left proliferating. If that is the case, can we say now that with the existence of the total log ban, only the illegal loggers remain in the forests?

These illegal loggers because not licensed do not reforest unlike the legal loggers who are licensed. Therefore, are we here enforcing laws for the benefit of illegal activities, banning legal cutting of trees for the benefit of the illegal cutters and possibly banning guns for the benefit of the lawless elements in the society? Are they right who say “That is how the cookie crumbles”?

We may have the law to protect our citizenry but not the political will to enforce it because of some extra personal objectives that most of the time run counter the society’s interests.

Calls for reorganization of government agencies are incessantly heard but never gets done because those in power have some moral, historical and cultural orientation. Some succumb to their weaknesses. But others remain steadfast in their desire to provide public service of the highest standard.

Bull run
The stock market is on a roll and that may prevail throughout the first quarter of the year. The bullish nature, both of the economy and the financial market, has brought several record breaking achievements in the shares index points. More than 20 times it breached the 6600 points last year and early this year it has breached the 6000 point mark, an achievement never before achieved in the history of the stock market. What does this say to us?

Although it may not be the be all and end all of economic development and our desire to become an economic tiger, it shows our great potential to become one in the not so distant future. The bullish nature of the bourse does not necessarily say that prices of shares are increasing, but says that sales of shares are increasing or more money is invested in the portfolio market because of a perceived economic and political stability.

This is expected to continue with the possibility of green money pouring in in the second quarter of the year coming from FDI and election spending. This will result in local growth (GDP) and increase in employment. The year 2013 is crucial to the President because it marks the midterm of his rule and the supposed aftermath of what he has accomplished in his term, the past three years. This is the year where he has the sole responsibility for transpired the last two years, for what is happening now is the result of his rule the past two years. But for whatever it is worth, the people should always remain vigilant and committed to the cause of peace and order and achieving economic development.

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