Lyle Kenneth Geraldez

IX-Beryllium

A MODEST PROPOSAL
For Preventing the Poor People in Philippines from Uselessly Loitering Around the Streets,
Bridges, Roads, or in the Public Making Them Useful to the Economy

Perhaps considered one of the main problems nowadays, poverty remains a critical social
problem that needs to be addressed. Philippines' poverty line marks a per capital income of
16,841 pesos a year. Sleeping elders together with their children are scattered around the street of
Cebu. Hopeless faces can be seen in them, pity that we feel sometimes feel the urge to give a
helping hand. It is quite sad that even if we help some of these unfortunate family, there are
hundreds? Thousands? No. There are around 12 million of them that needs help. Imagine
clumping them together around an area, we can realize that we cant really help all of them.
Some of them are sleeping under the bridges, absent of shelter which can really harm their
health. Children and elders alike are begging alms in the churches, in other public facilities like
the markets and hospitals, or even in remote areas such as seashore.
Since this problem almost remained unsolved for centuries, I now propose my humble decision
that I think would be the best one today as it contains one of the best method in making the poor
a beneficial factor of the economy.
Whether there are hidden potentials within this vast amount of populations or just that they just
cant afford education because of a certain event that changed their life, we cant deny the fact
that they really are a huge percentage of the Philippine population, or even around the world. We
just cant let them be a burden to us as we must go forward to progress. Potentials but how do
we know them? Speaking of unfolding their true abilities, one way is to screen them as a kind
of survival of the fittest. We would make a Labyrinth for the Poor that could probably put a
line between the useless and the beneficial to the countrys economy. The maze would contain
many dangerous obstacles such as monsters that aim to eliminate all of the poor. It is designed
to filter the weak-minded from the strong-minded
Firstly, the number of poors that will be dying from this kind of specialized activity is far greater
than the possible number of survivors. The mortality rate of this is very essential to the country
as it would reduce the factors of overpopulation that is also one of the problems we encounter as
of today. Since the society of the poor is a bulk to the Philippine population, it would possibly
significantly reduce one of the limiting factors we are carrying and that it would get our
development roll even faster.
Secondly, since it is generally designed to know the true potentials of the poor, the survivors are
considered as poor with potential to contribute to the development of the society and economy.

Lyle Kenneth Geraldez

IX-Beryllium

We would establish it as a new system of schools that would consider them as scholars that
would really help develop their inner talent since the absence of financial factors are the only
problem they have. They will be given free allowance, food, clothing and other necessities
required. This kind of education is aimed to further enhance their abilities that is discovered
during the running in the labyrinth. These would probably contribute a lot in the economy
since they are highly-trained with different techniques.
Thirdly, these veterans are self-trained during their time in the labyrinth. They have gathered
wisdom and advanced strategies that are similar or even much greater compared to a militarycamp since this activity requires them to gamble their lives. They would do everything to survive
during their filtration which could unconsciously unlock certain abilities for life-survival.
Because of these abilities they have developed as a form of adaptation, we will put them into war
as Army, Navy, or even as Airforce since they had already evolved their basic survival instinct.
Given only a little effort to further polish them, they would be very essential to our countries
basic defense from foreign threats. Also, they could be used as one of the means to conquer other
countries which could greatly boost our economy by sucking resources and making a large
empire of our own. Our dream of Philippines conquering the world will finally come true and its
empire will be feared and respected.
Fourthly, one of the problems we also encounter are increasing number of crimes. We will also
make a branch of them specialized in catching and eliminating criminals. Their cunning
strategies and nimble bodies developed from the said activity will put an edge combined with the
main police force. They will outpower any criminals and no one would ever dare to make
mistakes fearing their power.
Fifthly, since the word poor will be considered extinct in the Philippines, there would no
longer be status discrimination. Every people working towards economic development would
already be considered beneficial and there would be no hindrance or burden anymore. The
Philippines would be considered as the worlds greatest country in terms of economy.
Sixthly, poors shelter nowadays are considered very filthy. It contributes to pollution and
sickness (as seen in every squatter areas). These informal settlers also take the spaces and land of
the government. Implementing this kind of activity, these areas will be cleared thus giving them
much more areas to develop infrastructures. Sickness and diseased would be abolished. Pollution
will be reduced contributing to Philippines care for environment. These will reduce the
percentage of people dying from bad environments and the funds allotted to medical care will be
used for more progressive projects.
I do not think of any flaw within my proposed project as I find it seemingly perfect. However, if
we really analyze every dimensions within, there is one great mistake that could possibly happen.
Since the poor would entirely be obliterated, the status of the people will all be entirely superior.

Lyle Kenneth Geraldez

IX-Beryllium

This will develop greater competition that will be eliminate our main purpose of development
since the whole system would get chaotic. There would be internal war within the country and
will be subject to disorder. The balance and the equilibrium will forever be lost. Instead of
collaborating, they could form factions by factions and could lead to even more downfall.
Without unity, division will try to make the other factions fall, and the Philippines will focus on
these instead of development. On the other hand, disturbance in equilibrium in groups of
factions leading to competition is also important to development, as one may not see at first
look. Since opposing side will try to compete with the other, they would try to make more effort in
their works and that they would probably do their very best. It will also be the same for the
opposite side. Since they all have the power and are all balanced now, no side will fall to other.
Instead, they would just get inspired to do the more work. There would be no loss. The country
will be much more developed this way, even without the unity of people, as all people will strive
for excellence.
To conclude, the only, and by far, the best way to prevent poor people to be useless is to
eliminate them not totally, but let some of them survive. This some is the by-product of a
serious and life threatening act of filtration, the Labyrinth of the Poor. This kind of maze
selects the best of the best of the poor, eliminating the other useless ones, while transforming this
natural selected survivor into a very beneficial factor of development. The elimination of most of
the poor alone has many benefits to the society. The additional of these few selected that have
developed many factors of development can be further polished. Some of them can be used to
conquer other countries while some of them can help solve internal problems related to violence.
Since bulk of the poor has already been eliminated, pollution and diseased will follow. Thats one
less problem for the government and one more step to development. The Philippines is now
subjected to exponential development since everybody will strive for excellence and thus will
now be known to the whole world.

Meta-Cognitive Reflection
Thinking of the problem within the Philippine Society is a breeze. However thinking of an
absurd solution led me to an imaginative journey until I arrived to a one of the most interesting
book: The Maze Runner. The maze inspired me to develop my proposal and I later found out that
it has numerous advantages and many problems has been solved all at once. Its like hitting two
birds with one stone. Overall, this kind of mind-exploring activity is a great way to develop our
own hidden potential inside us that could later be put into a great use in the future.
Source

Lyle Kenneth Geraldez

Lindstedt,

G.

(n.d).

A
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