TELEVISION host and University of the Philippines (UP) economics professor Solita Monsod called for government initiative as well as individual efforts to prevent future fiscal “crises” during a lecture on socio-political issues last Nov. 12 at the Martyrs’ Hall of the UST Central Seminary.
“The challenge is you’ve got to change the environment in which you live in, starting with ourselves and our own surroundings,” Monsod said during the symposium titled “Nation-Building and the Present Political Scenario: The Fiscal Crisis and the Future of the Republic”
To motivate people to change, the economist and co-host of GMA 7’s Debate with Mare and Pare also emphasized the government’s influence.
“People would be more cooperative if they see that the government is taking the first step, meaning to say ‘kami ang magsasakripisyo muna’,” she added.
Talks on a supposed crisis circulated last August after a group of UP economics professors (excluding Monsod) warned of an increase in global interest rates, which would make paying the country’s foreign debts more difficult.
The symposium, organized by the literary-academic committee of the UST Central Seminary, was the inaugural lecture for the Padre Jose Burgos Memorial lecture series, which aims to tackle socio-political issues related with seminary formation.
“Since the committee has been organizing symposia before, we decided to put future socio-political lectures under a single title, along with a unifying thrust,” said Literary-Academic Committee chair Arvin Anthony Madla.
Although the lectures are initially intended for seminarians, Madla said the committee may soon admit other interested participants. Lady Camille L. de Guia
