In the previous discussion, we presented how globalization encourages everyone to desire for more

goods and services. This is supported very heavily by advertisement and marketing strategies
hastened very rapidly with media and other communication platforms. In response to the very rapid
demand for goods and services comes the heightened demand for energy and electricity as well.
Long ago, electrical powers only come during the night and are off during the day but later these
have extended 24 hours for seven days for the entire year. The consequence is global warming and
environmental decay.

However, despite warnings from experts concerning excessive demand on things and services, many
of which are useless and unnecessary, still people continue to extract and overly use resources
without rejuvenating the earth. This is considered ‘irresponsible actions of many firms and
consumers’. Industrial wastes and household trashes pollute the water, the air, the soil, the subsoil
that is the soul of the earth. People get sick, viruses are born, bacteria multiply and health pollutants
endanger health of the community. Since people have slowly evolved in learning, they also are able
to contain health hazards in considerable measure.

However, not all people are irresponsible. Some villages and countries are respectful to the powers
and abundance nature provides. Their farming is organic. Their consumption is regulated and
healthy. The sleep patterns are maintained and their attachments to mountains, hills, waterfalls,
meadows, etc. for beauty and rest are sentimental. Thus, because their demand for goods and
services are low, their economic growth is relatively lower too. This makes countries highly
differentiated. Others are very advanced and rich and others are still slow and natural.

Such conditions require global cooperation from the rich to the poor and poor providing labour to
the rich countries in dire need. In 1970s, the Philippines started exporting labour to the Middle East
and to the United States because these countries are in excess demand for skilled labour from the
poor countries and us needing much their foreign exchange (dollars). The exodus of Filipino workers
to practically every nation throughout the world has helped tremendously the economy during
financial crises and even during the pandemic, where many in the domestic economy are losing jobs.

Sometimes we ask why go to the US when you also earn the same amount here in the country. For
example, if you are earning P50,000.00 here as a marketing agent, let us say, why go the US and earn
$1000.00 as an office personnel? The answer depends on what matters to you. Even if the salary
here and there is the same, benefits there are more stable than in here. Health insurances are in
place while our Philhealth is facing a huge corruption case. Secondly, if the first worker is good, there
is a big chance that the company will hire too the kin of the first worker if qualified. The first worker
serves as the in-house reference for the new entrant to the company overseas. That culture is not
found here in the Philippines. Thus, the optimizing Filipino family going abroad plans and designs its
directions towards working in the States or in Europe. Eventually, the whole family is already taken
abroad and their little property here in the Philippines will serve as their vacation house and place
only.

So, what is the theory of migration? The theory says that people tend to go to places that maximize
their welfare and such welfare extends intergenerational. Places that might reduce welfare such as
Syria and Beirut for example are places least planned to go to. Places that might improve welfare
such as Europe and North America and Canada are places many would like to go. People migrating
though bring a ‘suitcase’ – a suitcase full of skills, quality education and learning, intelligence,
common sense, service- orientedness, ability to communicate and tenacity, etc. Very poor people
cannot afford to work overseas because their suitcases are yet empty. I would suggest in your very
young mind and age to determine already what to put in your suitcases in order for you to live a
more comfortable life later. Avoid filling it with nonsense, useless and unnecessary things you will
not be able to use later in case.

Through time, though humanity evolves in science and technology and everything can be digitized it
seems, there are still things very mysterious and beyond the comprehension of man. There are
questions that man fails to answer yet, like is there life in Mars? Is there life after death? Is it
possible to go back in time? Is there cure for corona virus? Is it possible to do revenge to the full
satisfaction to people that hurt you now? When realities seem vague and answers are unavailable,
people create religion. Those that can’t be answered are part of the will of God

Religions are very useful because it somehow homogenize behaviour. When Christianity teaches not
to kill, every Christian should avoid the possibility of killing. When Islam promulgated prayers for five
times a day, non-Muslim believers are certain that there are people praying when they are not
praying. It is often believed or taught that prayers are the only thing that could appease God and
thus would prevent calamity to happen – typhoons, pandemic, earthquakes, wars, famine etc.
different peoples in the world create different kinds of religions.

Christianity believes in the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. Spirituality is formed from
the Holy Bible. Any practices not written in the Bible are authorized by the leadership of the church,
like the Pope, or that of Apollo Quiboloy etc. Islam believes in only One God and that there is no Son
or Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God Himself and God would not have a Son, as He is a Spirit. If He has
only one Son, then whose sons are you? Whose children are we? Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism
are not personifying God a like what the Christians believe. They believe that there is this pure
energy in nature or the universe that is perfectly organizing itself very natural and without fault.

Of all these, the Buddhist has a more practical solutions and answers. They teach that there are four
truths – that there is suffering, that there are causes of these suffering, that suffering has an end and
there are paths to avert sufferings. The solutions they teach are: 1. The right view 2. The right
resolve 3. The right speech 4. The right conduct 5. The right livelihood 6. The right effort 7. The right
mindfulness and the 8. The right meditation. If one follows all these, then one will never suffer. If
you notice there is no mention about God here but if you do these religiously, you will become
highly spiritual and Godly.

Taoism is a religion that teaches patience, simplicity, compassion. It teaches to blend accordingly
with the flow and try not to go against the waves of reality. If you are a man, blend to becoming a
man and not go against it by becoming a woman. Letting go is another teaching of Tao. Things move
in accordance with nature and there is nothing can be done to hold it. if a day and night are
intertwined to form a full day, then changing it by making it like all day without a night is disastrous.
Many cities are trying to hold the day by having all night activities so cities won’t sleep. This does not
help maintain good health. The evenings are for sleep and daytimes are for work. Follow that cycle
and life shall be without so much pain. The last is harmony. A person who makes adjustments is a
person expected to have a better life. If health protocols are required to keep us safe during
pandemic, a person who knows how to make adjustments and harmonize with these is sure safe
from corona virus.
Hinduism gives a person a chance of a lifetime. It teaches reincarnation and karma. Although there
are no proofs that we can reincarnate, fear of reincarnating to lower forms of beings make a person
a good person. it pays to be good and to do good than to be reincarnated into a virus or a snake in
the next lifetime, etc. etc. Karma is a beautiful teaching about action, saying all actions have
consequences. All good actions – thoughts, words and deeds- have rewards in place and all bad
actions – in thoughts, words and deeds – have punishment. This limits persons to do personal
revenge because it is believed that karma shall do the punishment to the fullest satisfaction of the
person and encourages persons to do well to others especially because rewards are reserved for
people who wait for the right harmony of time. No one escapes from Karma.

Regardless of what religion you grow up with, it is best to look into the details of these beliefs to
include in your suitcase as you journey your life alone. In your struggle to better yourself, some
things you include in the suitcase shall make more competent, more progressive, much better-off,
much closer to the Source of everything. Do not discriminate people; just avoid being with people
that will harm yourself and your future. Design yourself better and make your suitcase be filled with
useful skills, valuable beliefs and advantageous education that would be more than enough for
yourself and for others as well. Be a Man for Others. You cannot be a Man for them if your suitcase
is empty.