If I were to be asked about my favorite color, my definite answer would be blue for various reasons. It's the sky where this color gradually fades into the horizon. Or the glistening sea where blue reflects a myriad of colors that dance with the flow of the tide. But, above all, the color of the most valued banknote in the Philippines - a 1000 peso bill.

 

This amount could go a long way in providing for my needs. Perhaps this could shed light on why during December, it is this specific color, not the yellow and never the orange, that I always yearn to peek in those red envelopes given by my godparents. But, little did I know... 

 

According to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines' headline inflation increased to 8.1% in December 2022. Inflation decreases the nation's purchasing power due to rising prices, causing them to buy fewer goods and services than before. 

 

It's frustrating to believe that what I typically purchase before may be challenging to acquire in the future. Inflation affects everything, even a piece of an onion - an essential cooking commodity.

 

The price of onions only ranged from 20 to 30 pesos from 2000 to 2010. But its cost marked up to 700 per kilo just this 2023. The overly-priced onions surely showcase how inflation could impact Filipinos' lives, especially those with low salaries.

 

Marginalized individuals are the greatest enemy of this long thread of issues. Many of them even considered removing an onion from their dish to budget their funds, allowing them to survive daily.

 

This is the reality of life that others fail to see - the truth that a piece of paper with 1000 stamped on it will be worthless. It was indeed a blue paper...bill.