As the West Philippine Sea conflict among nations and more pronounced between our country and China continues, the world is now in a wait and see mode as to who fires the bullet first which to observers will become the flashpoint of a possible armed conflict and perhaps a war among nations. China to date continues to send its Coast Guard and militia ships to troll any Philippine-registered boat entering the West Philippine Sea to the point of firing water cannons against Filipino-owned sea vessels.
While many are fearing war at any given time, the actions of China are simply acts of bullying knowing how defenseless the country is. It cannot afford the cost of war as they can defeat in an instant the Philippines but the country’s coalition of allies could inflict a disastrous harm in them which may even put an end to the dictatorial reign of Xi who has been benefiting from the progress of China whose people are still living in dire poverty line and overpopulation.
Sadly, as the country is focused on the tactics of China in WPS, there are more pressing problems that need everyone’s attention but are left unaddressed to date or are merely taken for granted.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) warned that 65 provinces in the country may experience drought by May 2024 due to the effects of a stronger El Niño phenomenon. Based on data it presented, 77 percent of the provinces in the country may experience drought and seven percent may experience dry spells. Droughts can last for months which is the lesser evil but could extend to years. This will result in severe problems on our water resources and the groundwater. The question is, are we ready?
The real war is happening now. A long dry spell could become a national security issue as food supply will surely be affected. It is given that many Filipinos are still within the poverty threshold. More importantly are the farmers who may have benefited from the modernization of agriculture programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) but such modernization does not include technologies and machinery that involve the approaches to droughts except for the program on climate resilient farming methods. Should the dry spell stay longer, do we have enough supply of rice, sugar and many other high-value crops? Have we improved the efficiency of providing timely financial help for farmers in ensuring a sustainable production?
The West Philippine Sea problem is indeed a national concern but climate change and the incoming El Niño phenomenon are more pressing and it’s starting to threaten the food security of the country. Perhaps the government could shift its gears and tackle these present problems immediately not with words but with swift actions and programs
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