Because the dollar power and weakening peso issue has to be discussed, here’s a brief explainer and analogy on why it affects ordinary Filipinos the most.

A thread: 1. The Philippines has no industries.

While it may seem that “there are” industries in the country, they are mostly owned by foreign investors or multinational companies. This means that we can’t produce basic goods on our own such as oil, transpo, telcom, basic metals, etc.

Watched this from Miss Q and A, and as funny as it may seem, there’s an underlying reality that ordinary Filipinos may actually not be able to tell the effects of weakening peso on their lives - not that they can’t feel it, but because it’s often masked by state negligence. Under Marcos II, the dominance of dollar has become more powerful and has led to higher inflation and less purchasing power for ordinary citizens, much like the conditions under FEM.

Price hikes become normalized, while low income classes are at the receiving end of the crisis.

There shouldn’t be UPCA/UPCAT in the first place.

Neither intellectual capacity nor financial capability must be the basis on giving students quality education. It must be for everyone who aspires to study in College. We shouldn’t be competing and proving ourselves for that. However, we understand why UP, as of now, resorts to this type of admission qualification. Its resources are limited, its budget continuously slashed, and it begs for additional financial support from the gov’t.

It can only accommodate so much without proper funding.