CARTOON by Shekinah Maranatha Sande.
Prior to the nearing end of the COVID-19 pandemic, DepEd gave the “go signal” to resume face-to-face classes after postponing them for three long years. Expecting the fact that most students are driven with excitement by the kick-start of in-person classes, school facilities have also been busy preparing to reopen their gates once again.
Despite the evident joy painted on the students' faces, many still worried about the costly expenses needed to acquire school necessities, such as supplies and travel fares. Since price hikes have been present even before the start of the school year, the primary victims are guardians and students who are less fortunate.
When COVID-19 came to show, it was already expected that the country’s economy would fall back. Agreeing with the considerable prediction, the country’s inflation rate rose to 6.4% in July from 6.1% in June 2022 down to 5.9% and 6.7% in August, then settled to 6.9% in September, well beyond the target rate of two to four percent.
Gas prices started to heighten in July, and as of the current date, resources still show unstable changes in prices. Non-alcoholic beverages and processed foods are also obvious price-hike correspondents. Canteen favorite snacks that used to be PHP 10.00 to PHP 25.00, now ranges from PHP 10.00 to PHP 40.00. To complement the increasing prices, students would need to be practical and have smart budget planning. Students are also frequently required to spend on academic supplies so savings would most likely go down the drain.
From ₱7 climbing up to a discounted price of ₱10 for tricycle fare, plus the increased cost of school snacks, we will have no choice but to resort to stretching our budget to fit the expenses needed on a typical school day. Hence, disadvantaged students would be in a difficult situation trying to shoulder the cost of maintaining a healthy and stable school life.
As the school year continues, we hear more and more complaints about increased prices. While some proceeded with no worry, others hesitated to even show up in school, burdened with the concern of failing to obtain basic needs. Because once again, those who take hold of the consequences are the poor. The poor “cover” the faults, the poor take on the burden, and are then blamed for the country’s continuous plummeting.
The government may have responded to the public’s plea and provided cash assistance to disadvantaged students, but in contrast, we should not be complacent that they would constantly cater to our needs. As it indicates, we are living in a world of constant change. So, to move forward, we would need harmony and participation.
With the equal contribution of the government’s aid, the student's rational budget planning, and parental supervision, perhaps we could then put up a fight in the fast-paced world of money.
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