“I want to invite all of you to fight with us”

By Mata Press Service

Philippines Vice President Leni Robredo, who was in Vancouver last week, has urged Filipino-Canadians to step-up and help their homeland, which is in the grip of an economic crisis.

In a call made in the U.S and Canada, Robredo urged Kabayans (people from the same country) to stand together on improving the quality of life of those in the Philippines.

“The problems that plague our nation today cannot be solved when we stand alone. I want to invite all of you to fight with us, to make sure that no one is left behind in our fight against poverty and our path to progress,” she said.

Speaking at the 28th-anniversary celebration of the Philippine Bicol Association of British Columbia in Vancouver, Robredo cited the economic difficulties faced by many Filipinos from inflation, to lack of rice supply and the growing culture of divisiveness in her country.

“In these very challenging times, what we need are resilient, courageous, and creative people who think, act, and lead with heart—bigger than any monster, stronger than any adversity,” she said.

The 2016 Census indicates there are 837,130 Filipinos living in Canada, making it the third largest Asian Canadian group. The population grew by 26 percent from 2011 to 2016.

Federal data shows the Philippines was the top source for immigrants last year, and a major source for immigrants since the last census in 2011.

Statistics Canada has estimated earlier this year that the Filipino community could be among the fastest growing group in Canada by 2036.

The Vancouver event was part of her official trip to the U.S and Canada, where she also looked for prospective partners in her flagship anti-poverty Angat Buhay program.

Inflation in the Philippines is now the second highest among Asean (Association of Southeast Asian) countries, only lagging Myanmar’s 7.56 percent.

According to the latest figures, inflation is 4.5 percent in Vietnam, 3.2 percent in Indonesia, 1.6 percent in Thailand, 0.9 percent in Malaysia and 0.6 percent in Singapore.

The Philippine Statistics Authority announced inflation for August hit 6.4 percent year-on-year, the highest in nine years.

Prices of alcoholic drinks and tobacco climbed 21.6 percent in August from a year ago, while food and non-alcoholic drinks rose 8.5 percent.

The average retail price of regular milled rice was 45.27 peso per kilogram in the first week of September, an increase of 19 percent from a year ago.

The peso slumped to a 13-year low of 54.28 to the US dollar on September 17, bumping up the cost of imported food ingredients.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has blamed the US President Donald Trump and the trade war with China for the inflation that has hit the Philippines.

The firebrand leader has also accused his political opponents of using inflation to turn the public against him.

But his views differ from the central bank, which said inflation was partly the result of higher excise taxes imposed by the government that has driven up food, alcohol and tobacco prices.

Robredo, the opposition leader, has also been a target of Duterte, since she assumed the vice presidency in June 2016.

Duterte has repeatedly belittled Robredo’s capabilities to lead the country, calling her “incompetent” and “weak.”

But despite Duterte’s attacks, Robredo said she continues to look for avenues where “we could be amicable.”