If you're running for anything and you say you're pro-poor,
chances are you're full of horse manure.
The term "pro-poor" has been bandied around so much for the past few decades that it has completely lost its meaning. Its definition fell off simply because of excessive overuse. Does that refer to families earning P300 or less per month? P3,000? P30,000? The word has become a pendant: something you wear on your neck to add to your character. A bling-bling for political hip-hoppers.
What it has retained is its drama, that's all. But in a nation filled with rabid soap opera-loving voters, people still believe that pro-poor is a proper word. Those who use it don't even take it seriously.
So, the question is: When somebody uses the term pro-poor, is he referring to you or to nobody in particular?
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