Yes this is no joke.
And because of this topic, a lot of people are suffering from the drastic effects: Jeepney fares increasing, less cars, especially those American SUVs on the road, more expensive basic needs and a whole lot more.
We are all bothered by this problem, especially that we were hoping for a much better economy after the drop from 56 to 1 to 41 to 1 last January. All of us are bothered about this. Will this be a repeat of the Asian crisis of 1997? I hope not.
I myself has been feeling the effects, especially since I drive a car to school and given the horrendous prices in gasoline nowadays, I have to plan out my trips to save as much gas as possible. And that's despite I'm driving a diesel car; it would be much much worse with a gasoline car. A 10 peso per liter difference is already a big amount.
Upon reading the news bits about this issue, and by integrating what I have learned from other PolSci classes
with bits of economics (which I still remember despite taking them during 4th year HS). What bothers me is this: What if it is NOT because of scarce resources that keeps the rates high? What if there is someone manipulating things for their own benefit? How about the fate of third world countries like us?
One possible (well not guaranteed to be true) would be that maybe the USA is actually hoarding the oil from the Middle East (known for having abundant resources of oil). I've just noticed somehow that there is something fishy behind the current news. Like what my blockmate said about the rice issue, well it is possible that the USA is hoarding as much oil as it can so it can dominate the market on oil and thus, having control over the prices, leading to a possible monopoly. I know this may be somewhat impossible, but it can be one of the many causes of the increasing oil prices these days. This is just in my opinion.
Feel free to comment.
Duey T. Guison
II AB PoS
*Cross posted on Discover the World
3 comments:
Well, there is no doubt that increasing prices in gasoline really makes it harder for people to live, and already there is a clamor for shifting to alternative sources of energy (such as solar power, nuclear power, hydrogen, etc.)
But think about it; so many other industries and countries depend on the oil industry. To shift right away into alternative sources of energy would only make the market more chaotic. What's happening now is that oil is becoming more and more scarce, and the powers-that-be are allowing oil increases so that the oil industry will have ample time to buy in to alternative sources of energy.
But looking at it in the context of global politics, oil price increases are happening because of China. Just think, the labor is so cheap there, and so many countries depend on China's labor. The USA, Britain and France are increasing their prices of oil so that shipments of raw material would be more costly. This is their way of slowing China down, because everyone knows for sure that China will be the next superpower.
And they won't be claiming the status of superpower through ideology (like USA and Democracy) they'll be doing it through economics.
But no, even I can't agree with Nina Terol when she says the RP needs a "social entrepreneur" for a president. =))
Still on oil? How's about alternatives
Looking at this at an economic perspective, the increase, a violent one at that,of the price of black gold (OIL) is due to basic supply and demand principles. Just as you and one comment says a lot of industry depend on oil. Well lets be realitistic our time primarily is driven by this unquentiable thirst for oil. Hence mor supply less demand. ITS A SELLERS MARKET.
However I think a political view sees more than what meets the eye here. True that oil is very vital to our country. Yet amidst all these increase in prices we (public sector) there seems to be less and less shock resonated by those who are affected. I for one dont really get concerened anymore that much. Maybe because, it has grown too old for me. The oil companies have already announced that before the next three months pass, people should expect more increases.One way of looking at this politically is to think otherwise and beg to differ on public's reliance on the princilple of supply and demand. I think we should now move on from thinking its because we depend too much on oil thats why, to why not look for and really invest for alternatives. The platform is open for debate for which alternative is more approriate in the Philippine setting.
However, we are still hostaged by our umbilical cord to the black gold. We are too attached to the smell and taste of carbon monoxide (weird). That we forget the fact that Oil will disappear for sure yet alternatives, renewable ones, are just lying around for us to "exploit".
Still on oil? How's about alternatives
Looking at this at an economic perspective, the increase, a violent one at that,of the price of black gold (OIL) is due to basic supply and demand principles. Just as you and one comment says a lot of industry depend on oil. Well lets be realitistic our time primarily is driven by this unquentiable thirst for oil. Hence mor supply less demand. ITS A SELLERS MARKET.
However I think a political view sees more than what meets the eye here. True that oil is very vital to our country. Yet amidst all these increase in prices we (public sector) there seems to be less and less shock resonated by those who are affected. I for one dont really get concerened anymore that much. Maybe because, it has grown too old for me. The oil companies have already announced that before the next three months pass, people should expect more increases.One way of looking at this politically is to think otherwise and beg to differ on public's reliance on the princilple of supply and demand. I think we should now move on from thinking its because we depend too much on oil thats why, to why not look for and really invest for alternatives. The platform is open for debate for which alternative is more approriate in the Philippine setting.
However, we are still hostaged by our umbilical cord to the black gold. We are too attached to the smell and taste of carbon monoxide (weird). That we forget the fact that Oil will disappear for sure yet alternatives, renewable ones, are just lying around for us to "exploit".
phillip recentes
Post a Comment