Professor Solita Collas- Monsod... An Exeptional Critic and Economist by Benedict Miranda

A person who would be able to speak to the public and teach them the rightful way of life would not mean that he or she deserves to be called an example to the citizens for he needs to be more than that and he also must be true to himself and to his fellowmen. It is also not enough to be a perfect exemplar to the masses by critiquing a lot of people’s faults and mistakes, helping the poor by giving them food, clothing, shelter and other important necessities to live life to the fullest, doing something for a change like initiating a program for people like fun runs, and other beneficial projects for the people.

In the case of my everyday life, everybody deserves to be called an exemplar to the people, but I see them with their highest pride that you could beat them black and blue due to their tactless and ruthless words that they might hurt somebody’s feelings or even lead to filing of cases such as libel and slander which would demoralize their image as a person. It is not easy to make a lot of differentiations, criticisms and scrutiny to such issues like political and economic since they are so called “national” issues. The people who criticizes a lot are called “NO- HEART” people since they just talk and talk until they are out of air, but this perception is actually and idiotic one and in fact every critic is considered an excellent debater or arguer and a critic is also a versatile, yet great personality of any field of his profession.

In the Philippines, there were a lot of critics ever since we all know that in every person who would be in power cannot avoid criticisms or opposing ideas from people who were dissatisfied with the way the head like the head of state run the country smoothly with at least few bad issues or issues that won’t affect the country and its citizens too much, but we didn’t have a perfect head of state. We could only just imagine that one day we would’ve had a perfect state and a perfect society, but I feel so sorry to the people who always wanted to be in a perfect society since it could’ve been attainable not only because of them, but also us. We became very insensitive, so apathetic and we tend not to listen to others plea for great changes like those people who has an advocacy and who would carry out the name of our country like those international stars and internationally renowned people in different various fields that some of them were not recognized by the people since they are working outside the country. The issue on Filipinos’ migration abroad and working Filipinos abroad would tell us that our country couldn’t provide enough jobs for every Filipino and it is hard for the Filipino jobseekers to find suitable job like the white- collar and blue- collar jobs.

In recent history about media, there was so called extra- judicial killings due to many media men’s fearless, tactful or tactless, regardless of their societal level. The societal level of these personalities don’t meant to be that they cannot escape a lot of criticisms and questions that are raised for them to answer or to defend like the case of the PNP in different cases of crimes like Trina Etong Case, and EDSA Rubout Case. This would only tell us that neither we nor the highest officials can escape the wrath of controversies and its criticisms and observations by our fellowmen because we could observe each other’s movement in public, but we have also our privacy who is still under observation through our family members and relatives.
Our economy is still running smoothly despite of the raging Global Financial Crisis which indeed gave the Filipinos a serious advisory to effectively spend their income, time and work wisely in order to survive this situation and to sustain their basic necessities. The Global Financial Crisis really made the world suffered from recession and so many financial institutions and even ordinary works were shut down or bankrupt. It affected a lot of Filipinos especially for the OFWs who were former employed, now unemployed.

An exceptional and exemplary person like this person that I’m going to tell you is my favorite critic, economist and an icon of critical analysis of the issues surrounding the Philippines especially the economic status. She is a prominent journalist who really impressed many people to be like her. She is a University of the Philippines School of Economics Professor who gave a lot of commencement speeches in 2 major universities: University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University and each speech would mark her words of wisdom and integrity to the students especially to the ones who wished to run for office someday.
She is Solita “Mareng Winnie” Collas- Monsod. She was a very loving wife of Christian S. Monsod and a loving mother to Solita Noemi, Toby Melissa, Theresa Patricia, Christian Enrique, and Katrina Diane Noelle.

She worked as a member of the UN Committee for Development Planning (UNCDP), 1987-2000. The Committee is a high-level advisory group to the UN-ECOSOC, made up of 24 versatile men serving in their personal capacity. Member, Board of Trustees, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Washington, January 1996, Member, Board of Advisors, Human Development Report 1993Member, Board of Advisors, South Centre, Geneva, Switzerland, 1991-1995. The South Centre was established to follow-up the recommendations of the South Commission, organized in 1987 at the initiative of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia and chaired by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. The Commission issued a report in 1990 entitled The Challenge of the South which has since been translated in five languages. South Commission member from 1987- 1990, Regional Alleviating Poverty on 1994, Higher Education Development Fund Investment and Management Advisory Committee Member of the Commission on Higher Education on 1997. She is a lecturer of the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE), a symposia speaker and panelist involving academics, priorities of the government today, media, and civic and communitarian organization on different issues and current interests.
Her education was so very exceptional since she graduated cum laude in Bachelor of Arts major in Economics in UP in 1959 and gained her Masters Degree in University of Pennsylvania in 1962 then became a candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in 1963 on the same university.

Her being exceptional, not only in her field of study, but also in media gained her being an honorary example of a versatile, yet critical media man. Her awards were Broadcaster of Year 2000 awarded by Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Best TV Program Host for Public Affairs Program from Star Awards, and more. She also became the National Economic Development Authority from 1986- 1989.
She is also a writing enthusiast where she wrote many books regarding economic views today and economic views in the Philippines like Philippine Poverty: A Status Report from Asia Society on 1997, and An Analysis of the Philippine Economic Crisis 1984 Quezon City, UP Publications.

In her different segments in television like “Analysis” from News on Q by QTV Channel 11 where she gives her insights and knowledge about certain issues like the Cheaper Medicines Law where it took more time for the government to make it as a law and there is a counter- attack to this law which was provided by the Private Hospitals of the Philippines Group where they warned the government that if the medicines were reduced by the pharmaceutical companies, they would declare a hospital holiday and worse the patients who cannot pay would stay in the hospital for months. This issue was disliked by her and also by me since the people would benefit from this and the private hospitals are so very mean when it comes to this issue of Cheaper Medicines Law because there are critical measures with regards to selling of medicines produced by pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Wyeth like pressure on price hike and its quality. The generics would retain as cheaper as possible. Her segment on “Analysis” would not only inform people, but also remind people that in every issue there is rightfully a genuine action/s. It is not enough to sit back and relax then enjoy everything what you are having, but be informed and be aware in your surrounding especially in the society where we cannot see perfection and flawless.

Overall, Prof. Winnie’s life would be compared to pliant like a bamboo that could be on time in delivering what she knows and what could possibly happen in certain issues surrounding the society. The life of Prof. Monsod could be done by anybody unless he could be able to make the necessary changes on the way of Filipinos’ lives. To be able to persuade people to make a change and be vigilant in such issues like Charter Change and Constituent Assembly, one must be able to do such actions to persuade people to reject or dislike CON- ASS and CHA- CHA. Her life is in line with economy and political issues that we can also make use of like in my profession. I could be an economist someday that could be like Winnie Monsod and we can make the most out of her works, and we could do what she does everyday.

We must be what we are and never be apathetic if needed because apathy would be used in such cases. For me, she is not a hero, but an example of concerned person.

SOURCES:
http://www.nsclub.net/marengwinnie/resume.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98glWaK5ieo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solita_Monsod