John Miele is a Citizen of the World, having spent time in many locations around the globe. Currently, he finds himself in Manila, but travels throughout the Philippines. John joined the Live in the Philippines Web Magazine in mid-2008.
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Live in the Philippines Web Magazine is a Magazine style website that has been in existence since 2006. The site is called "LiP" for short. LiP was the brainchild of Bob Martin, aka "Mindanao Bob" who still writes regularly on the site. In addition to Bob, other writers include Bob's wife, Feyma, and an array of other foreigners who all live in the Philippines.
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Hi John,
That’s a very nice article you’ve covered today and important too, I myself is very skeptic person when it comes to survey result which only show numbers, i.e. like saying this country scored 15 or that country scored 200, figures does not mean anything to me it is just numbers, while other survey agency provides more data based on many important parameters just like what Global Integrity Report, that kind of report gives me more idea on how things are measured and it is a bit more realistic than others.
The ‘perception’ of corruption is very often opposite of actual corruption. ‘Perception’ depends largely on who controls the news media.
How many of you have heard of Martin Armstrong’s plight for example? Held for 7 years on contempt (18 month Constitutional max) without possibility of bail funds stolen his lawyer threatened etc… http://www.scribd.com/doc/14227076/Behind-the-Curtain4909
I can assure you he is not an isolated case yet everyone thinks the US is the bastion of freedom.
I find the fact that corruption is talked about openly in the Philippines very refreshing I’m not used to that sort of free speech from main stream media.
Hi John – So who paid you to say that?
(kidding, just kidding
)
Hi John,
Im confused about scores in the column of the chart. Is it a scale from 1 to 10 with a 10 being good?
Hello John
I guess the opinion can only be frankly stated if you’ve seen the corruption. I remember my wife was stopped by a police officer and was waiting for a bribe…30mins later he just left. Another example is the immigration office. Foreigner comes in, girlfriend slips a 1000 pesos note to the immigration officer and..what do you know only a 5mins wait time, hehe. The Philippines can be corrupt; however, some people have a double-edged mind that can be shrewd to making everyones situation miserable.
I must be misunderstanding your explanation of the chart. Tell me it isn’t so. I am sure that Denmark & Sweden are two of the safest countrys in the world. Canada is more dangerous than the Philippines??
Hi john- I wonder if all the money from corruption ( billions and billions of Pesos), was processed properly and the taxes paid on that money, then the money properly re distributed, how much more infrastructure, and better living conditions we would see for the people of the Philippines?
ps, not a political statement, but just wondering.
Hey John when do you have time to do all this work on the internet to find everything …Did you go to the CIA and look it up ..ha ha .. Phil n Jess
Hi John,
Very good article, and like you say, it very hard to track and know about all of the corruption that is going on…so not sure where or how they get the information of corruption in the different countries. Other than, what has been found and reported on and about.
Like Phil said…”Hey John when do you have time to do all this work on the internet to find everything”..you must be “SuperMan”, and or very organized person, with everything you have to juggle in your life..and for sure, I appreciate it very much, I enjoy your articles and input on this site!!!
Take care now, and best wishes to you and your family,
Danny
Hello John. Tricky, these statistics.But they are just that, pure and simple statistics: obligatory (for the sake of konwledge), defamatory and discriminatory. It is also very subjective, hateful, biased and one-sided to say the least. Who are these invisible “experts”? Ho morally clean and fair are they? It’s a dog’s feast. God help us all if we believed statistics hook, line and sinker. The sooner statistics are set aside, the better for everyone. I should know. I worked as a market researcher twilight years ago and there were times many of us would simply ask questions or put words into respondents’ mouth so we could have a quick lunch…Respondents are easily persuaded and they couldn’t really care less what we tick, for as long as they got sample products afterwards.
Dans, if you are a Filipino, then isn’t it time to look at our country with different eyes? How wrong you are to describe our country as “underdeveloped”. You are talking tripe. The Philippines has joined the ranks of NICs (newly-industrialized countries around three-four years ago. Metro Manila ranks 33 in the richest city category. Check out BizNewsAsia. For all the boast about Mumbay being rich, this city has only one international airport, compared to Metro Manila’s three. Mumbay only has one runway, one of the terminals has two. Mumbay’s infrastructure is poor and Mumbay is half the size of Metro Manila. Unprecedented real estate development is ongoing, at least in the last seven years, non-stop, just look at Taguig which was a wide open field with hardly a proper building fifteen years ago, now, it is almost looking like mini-HK. Twenty-five years ago, Makati was the only busiiness district. Now we have Ortigas, Quezon City, The Fort, Ortigas, Paranaque, Marikina. Mnay more to follow. REad up instead of being too lazy to make sweeping statements.
I think it was Mark Twain who said there are 3 kinds of lies “Lies, damn lies and statistics”.
I will add a fourth : government statistics
hi again john- did you forget the first rule of writing an article aboutthe Philippines? You know the one “never critisize ANYTHING about he Philippines, even when you are actually trying to pay them a compliment” Yes John these things can blow up really badly, and grudges can last forever!!!=>
Best wishes mate, I really enjoyed your article, keep up the good work.
Anthony: I understand how people can be sensitive about such a topic. I actually thought there would be more critical comments. In any event, I really think that there is hope for this country, and hope with a solid foundation.
Hi John,
I was just reading a 2008 WSJ article about General Motors wanting to build a deisel motor plant in the Philippines. CEO Rick Wagner Instead decidided to locate the plant in Thailand instead because the payoffs cost was too high in the Phils.
Hello Dans.
More than half of Canada is underdeveloped, or not developed at all. More than half of the USA is underdeveloped, or not developed at all. I don’t know if you are trying to be arrogant or blind but you seem to disregard the good things about your own country. That’s your opinion but not a very commendable one. The overall infrastructure of the Philippines is far better than many cities around the world, especially those neighboring ones. The way it sounds, you haven’t even traveled the world—as I have. I have been to Rome and I can assure you that it is now decrepid, unkempt, chaotic—too many vendors on the main and side streets. I have been to Madrid, BArcelona,Budapest, Prague USA, UK, Sevilla, Morocco, Portugal Scotland, Wales, you name it–I’ve been there,a not just pit-stop, like many of those who boast they have been to more than fifty countries or so, yet just a pitstop—or refuelling—well, Dans, that is not travelling—that is pure boast.
Beleive me when I tell you that the Philippines ain’t so bad. Go, travel and you will be longing for your own country before you can even shout, “Mumbai!” If arrogance and ungratefulness is your thing, then try living in Mumbai or Jakarta.
Hello Jason. The mere fact that your wife was willing to bribe a cop means only one thing: she, too is indirectly corrupt, and you encourage her to do corruption by encouraging her to bribe a cop. It may sound funny to you but this is where corruption is at its core. Some impatient Filipinos who wish to get things done quickly without wanting to wait for their turn. Bribery IS corruption, and if you and your wife practice it in the Philippines or elsewhere, then I’m afraid you can’t claim to be morally incorruptible.
Hello Dans.
More than half of Australia is underdeveloped or not developed at all. Do you expect an archipelago like the Philippines to be fully developed with more than 7,000 islands?
Also, I take back what I said that you are ungrateful. Sorry. You are not, you are ignorant of facts, you are in need of traveling abroad for you to be able to say, !I’m proud of my country..! Dans, I’ve lived abroad for the most of my life and believe me when I say that there are more corupt countries than the Philippines. Corruption is not exclusive to politicians or civil servants. Corruption for the most part in the Philippines is done through many other means, and Jason’s example is one of them.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts John. Having visited several latin american countries, I’ve seen what equates to corruption frequently. It’s difficult for westerners to accurately judge corruption in third world countries.
Often offering a “tip” for working faster or cutting through paperwork/normal procedures is built into a government employee’s salary. It’s part of the culture and often the difference between a moderately comfortable lifestyleas a government official and abject poverty. The same logic applies to “kano” prices. Personally, I don’t consider these types of behaviors corruption. In third world countries, favoritism because of nepotism or the perception that assisting a potential benefactor can better (or make worse) one’s lifestyle fits closer to my definition.
Thanks again for another very insightful topic.
hey if anyone is interested please check out My Sari Sari Store a guy who has no prejiduce to anyone , but wants to show what he sees.
Dans & Jenny,
May I have the last word on this? India may be light years away from the Philippines but I still would not want to live there. As if that is the point of the argument.
Relax, Jenny. Dans just said
“We maybe a poor or underdeveloped nation, but i can assure you, that the philippines is the only country in the south east asia who practice the freedom of speech by the people…”. I think we can all agree that the Phil is poor or undeveloped country. If the govt can provide jobs to most Filipinos, may be I can claim we are otherwise. That said, my friend assures me that things are picking up there. This comes from a person who earns money quite well. I however help a friend who gets paid a hundred pesos for at least 7 hours of traffic enforcing. No wonder, they resort to “kotong”
& to you Anthony, I’ve bookmarked your blog. I think we will be friends.
Hi John,
I have an american who loves to go to the Phil. But on his first visit, when he was approached by kids in Taal Volcano, he was “crushed” by the poverty he saw in the kids. Maybe, in the eyes of a westerner, a kid w/ runny nose, dirty clothes, alms outsretched is really a pitiful sight. He still comes back there though but focuses on tony areas of Makati.
I once read somehwere that you have to understand poverty the way locals understand it. What I think this tells us is just because a person looks the way he looks, we automatically think that he is the very definition of poverty.
Hi John, what you said was something to think about. I did not realize how much the catholic faith unifies the Phil. Perhaps it does I just did not notice it. In the Phil, I never worry about tom as much as I do here. The air of fatalism seems to pervade in the air.
Dans, you thank the media for announcing poverty to the entire nation. But of course you are aware that news have gone global as well. I read comments in news that were streamed and majority are Filipinos who are outraged by the amount of negative news these news bureau feed into the global Fil news. Their premise is that the world truly thinks how terrible it is there. The same w/ movies being shown abroad. Contrary to the types most shown in the Phil (the glossy ones), the ones shown abroad are in your face poverty & sleaze. Movies represent some modicum of reality.
But do you also appreciate film makers who do these kind of movies about poverty, prostitution male/female?
So what is Considered as poverty level in the Philippines..1000 pesos a month maybe .???
Hi John,
Thanks for this fresh perspective of hope amidst the general anti-government sentiment I get from the papers. For now I will be happier to know that the despair is but the price we have to pay for the freedom of speech. We just might be living in a country that is more democratic than we bargained for.
Come to think of it, we have have our corrupt officials because the majority opted to get that P200 on election day than wait for true political reform which might not even be realized anyway. In the end, we only got the government we deserved.
We’re still paying the tuition fees for our political maturity diploma, and if the majority doesn’t pass the final exam, we all take the course again. This isn’t about who knows better and who doesn’t, it’s about getting out of this mess as a stronger, prouder people.
Ten years ago, celebrities running for office were a sure win. The last elections proved that the Filipinos outgrew this star-struck state. We learn from our lessons, and that’s what’s important.
Thanks for your faith in our people John!
Dans: thank you. Exactly my point. You hear a lot about corruption, but it really needs to be put into perspective. Some people act like it is complete lawlessness here.
John: I would largely agree with you. The media doesn’t exist to report news… The exist to sell advertising. This fact is often missed or neglected by people. Thus, people’s perceptions are shaped by the need to draw attention. Sensationalism draws more people, and more revenue.
As to corruption in the States, it is there, but better hidden and usually more sophisticated. I think the perception here in the RP has much to do with the low-level stuff that is largely absent in the States.
Hi John H., I, however, read from a foreigner here write “what they refer to as newspapers”. Do you think this is a fair observation?
Paul: secret information there, bud! Gonna ship it off to the Cayman Islands asap!
Hudson: correct. 10 means less corruption and 1 means more corruption. It is an index, so less perception of corruption is a higher number (more positive perceptions)
Jason: there is corrution here, no doubt about it. However, I view your examples as relatively low level happenings. None of it is good, but that is the most visible. Since that type of corruption is most of what foreigners encounter, it leaves the greatest perception. Not disputing you, but just making an observation.
hi john,
If you don’t mind me adding few more of what i think of the so called “Democracy” in the states. the so called “Freedom of speech” in the states is very different from the Philippines, I watched different news from the states for a long time and I cannot recall hearing or watching anything that has to do with corruption committed by the government officials, I am certain there are corruptions happening in the states, it is either nobody from the media wants to touch or report the subject, or as what you’ve mentioned, it is very well hidden and sophisticated, either way, majority of Americans are not aware of the problem because the media portrayed the country as “a corrupt-free country”, the sad thing is, corruption in the states is within the “higher-level” only and nobody seems to get punished. looking at the u.s. economy, it collapsed because many people from the top manipulated it plus people from the government who let it happened.
Philippine is a corrupt country no doubt about that, but i can assure you that the people are very aware of it even the lowest life in the Philippines knows about it, street protest everyday is just a reflection of how the people are very aware of the problem.
Looking at the states as a developed and civilized nation and well regarded as a “democratic” country, you have many laws that almost curtail the freedom of the people, it’s like “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” I feel that the “freedom of speech” in the states is very well practiced on the internet particularly when it comes to “porn” and owning a gun which result to many shooting incident is not my perception of “democracy”.
as to what John H. said, he is not used to hearing such news in the states, that only proves that many Americans are not aware of the corruption problem.
We maybe a poor or underdeveloped nation, but i can assure you, that the philippines is the only country in the south east asia who practice the freedom of speech by the people, as a matter of fact, the freedom of speech in the Philippine is so strong and nobody can stop the journalist from reporting corrupt officials, they cannot be stopped and the only way to stop the journalist is to kill them, which ironically, journalist killing is used as a measuring stick whether a country is democratic or not.
if you are an ordinary man in Thailand, say something against their leader and you would end up in a place you don’t want to be.
Guy: hmmmm… Must have been my explanation. Safety and corruption are really two different things. The higher score indicates the countries where people perceive the corruption to be the lowest. More positive reports, the higher the index. Fewer positive reports, the lower.
Dans: press freedom has a lot to do with things. In the States, every media outlet has an agenda, depending on where the money is coming from. With corruption, it starts at the bottom and gets more difficult to detect the higher up it goes. As to the US economy, there were many factors to blame, including greed from average Joe six pack buying too much house and living on debt. With US corruption, look at things like lobbying and government contracts… All controlled by the elite. Here, the visible low level stuff is “small change”. The Philippine press may do a good job at reporting, but they face the same economic realities as in the States, and have the same motivation.
Hi Dans, that’s why Chicago is my kind of town. I feel so at home here. There’s always muck raking going around, very similar in Manila (I am so centrist!). I’m sure IL corruption has been on a national spotlight lately esp w/ the allegations that the former Gov Blagojeviech tried to auction Obama’s former senate seat to the highest bidder. The whole thing spawned all sorts of investigations right now, the Senator appointed by the now impeached Gov. is also now under a cloud of doubt whether or not there was pay to play involved in getting his seat. Of course, there’s the Mayor Daley who’s always been suspected of using political patronage. To some extent, I feel like I’m reading PDI when what I’m reading actually is the Chicago Tribune.
There’s also exposes here. But I tell you, once a can of worms have been opened, they will never disappear. I would say there’s a small chance of white washing here. Sadly, in the Phil, we have many fact finding committees, etc but what are they for really?
hi john,
One filipino told me that he is sick and tired of street protest every time the media reports something, I told him that he should be thankful that there’s a street protest because that only proves we still have a free speech and it still working.
in the philippines, there are many media who supports and protect an ordinary man from the “low-level stuff” corruption, I am sure you’ve heard “imbestigador”, “XXX” and other radio and tv programs too, these media conduct sting operation to catch the small-fish, i wonder if the states has a similar media too?
Anthony: it would be a huge figure. Combatting this problem there is no simple solution. However, the controls mentioned in the global integrity report show that those in power are at least making the effort.
Roy:
I lived there for 12 years… They have refined corruption to an art form in Chicago!
hi roy,
what are the “fact finding” for?? well to make a corruption out of corruption. lol!
the fact finding is supposed to investigate the corruption problem, but it is also the same source of corruption too. lol!
Phil n Jess: I squeeze it in between business trips.
Danny: Thanks!
Jenny: Isn’t it funny how if you debate someone, statistics are always quoted? There is a place for them, and they have value, but their use is often questionable.
hi jenny,
Don’t get me wrong when i did say the philippines is underdeveloped, the term NIC is just a nice nickname for a country such like ours, the reality is philippine is STILL underdeveloped, looking at the size of the country and the places where the “tall buildings” are is not a sign of a “NIC” nation, (by the way the next-eleven-nation was only used during the time when the philippine economy was good I am not sure now if the philippine will be still in the NIC) but rather just an increase of business offices, how many household in metro manila have a clean drinking water? which is one of the basic necessity, look at the public infrastructure, government services etc..etc..
don’t let the tall buildings and big shopping malls your measuring stick whether the country is a NIC, developing or whatever term the people use (they just want to be politically correct)
have you seen the google map lately? see for yourself, you’d be amazed with the entire picture of greater manila. There are more slum area than the big buildings.
John: I had never heard that one from him… Another true genius (His anecdotes and quotations were always better than his books, in my opinion)
Dans: I would also agree with you. The Philippines has made much progress, but there is still a long way to go.
Hudson: Interesting, but I would believe that they would face many of the same problems in Thailand. I know many executives who have set up manufacturing in the developing world (especially in China), and their problems are always the same. Also, keep in mind that US companies are covered by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and they are not allowed to play games, at least officially.
Jenny: I really admire the pride you feel towards your home country. There are serious problems here, though. I see much hope for the future in the Philippines, and the development will continue… it takes time. Remember that most Western countries have been independent for at least a couple of hundred years… The Philippines has had only 64 years. It is a shame that the press only seems to focus on the negative. A better example… In my work I spend a good bit of time in China. Yes, the growth is phenomenal. There are gigantic buildings in Beijing and Shanghai. There are also 900 million peasants there barely scraping by. A big problem in a country bwith far more resources than the Philippines.
Hi jenny,
You remind me of another Fil-Am I encountered in one of the forum, when i criticized the philippines, he jumped onto me and suggested that i should go out and see the world, as if i am too ignorant of things. that is not the point, the point is, an ignorant person is someone who have a closed eyes and mind or detached to reality.
in one of the thread, you said and i quote you
“That’s one of the many reasons that i dread living back there. There’s just too much unfairness. You can’t count on the cops if you’re just a nobody there. There will be nobody to police the police.”
how do you feel about that? you just contradict yourself, you hated the country and despise it but then you attacked me when i criticized the country? what is your real stand?
jenny,
you compare mumbai and manila, india vs philippines, and your way of comparison is largely based on private infrastructure such as buildings, malls etc..etc..
here is my way of comparison and you decide which country is far more advanced.
India focuses on science, they are nuclear capable country,
they can launch their own home-grown satellite to space philippines can only launch a kite made of newspaper.
they are capable of building their own rockets while philippines can barely buy a bullet for our soldier.
they build their own car engine and export it while philippines can only build jeepney made from surplus component and cannot even export it,
they build their own fighter planes while we fly a vietnam era copters,
they have their own submarines while we have a bamboo pump boat.
they build they own communication gears, philippine can only produce gossip makers.
india build their own cellphones product, philippines just build antenna towers for cellphone use.
indian programmers contributes to many computer software, they are part of the microsoft team, while philippines can barely make a world-class softwares.
their mathematics is so advanced that many indian nationals works for advanced research projects, they have more scientist than us, india can defend its territory from external aggressor, philippine can barely defend the country from local terrorists and kidnappers
they are involved in a lot of science fields. Philippine is heavily involved in t.v. soap operas, basketball and boxing shows and programs.
despite of india’s advancement, india’s status is still a poor and developing country. i.e. not even halfway to being a develop country.
while india focuses on these, philippines focuses on building more shopping malls and more disco pubs.
mumbai may not have the same tall buildings and shooping malls just like you see in the philippines, but i can guarantee you, that their technology, their advancement in science is leap and bound compared to us.
let’s face the reality, philippines is just a consumer of products, we don’t build things, we just buy them.
there are so many things about india and there’s no way that philippine can surpass them (not in my lifetime anyway)
do you still think that philippines is the “new industrialized country”??
Jenny: The low level bribery is where the problem starts. I remember when I lived in the Caribbean that many police, customs officials, etc. were not paid any salary at all for their jobs. They were expected to earn through graft. This was in many countries. You are right… There are many places that are far worse off.
hi jenny,
I’ve been living out of the Philippines for nearly 19 years, I’ve been to many countries, I’ve seen the world and that is why I can compare “what” and “what is not” a developed or underdeveloped country is.
Many people uses the private infrastructure such as the shopping malls, buildings as their way of measuring the country’s “advancement”, the thing is, that is not how you measure whether the country is develop or not.
the fact is 40% or more of our population are living in poverty, more than 50% of our population *do not own* their own house, how many people have a good access to a potable clean water? is our society ruled by equal justice? how is the general attitude of the people? are they more civilized or not? how the government deals with people’s needs?
tall buildings, shopping malls, internet and cellphone use, beaches and all other things you see in the Philippines is *not* how you measure the country’s status.,
there’s only a black and white, positive and negative, develop or underdeveloped, and anything in between or gray area is just a lot of BS.
jenny, If I criticized the Philippines it does not mean i am ungrateful or ignorant, that is the problem among Filipinos, they are too sensitive of criticism, I am a realistic person, I am proud of my country but not to the extent that i will close my eyes and not accept the sad reality. IF you will just learn to open your eyes and open your mind and be more realistic, you will see that Philippines is not as what you think,
John: so true, Philippines made a lot of progress but there’s a long way to go!.
David: I read your comment after answering Jenny above. I’ve experienced the same many times. I really believe that most officials in the Philippines are honest. There are bad apples just like anywhere else, but most that I’ve encountered have been just doing their jobs.
hi anthony,
I really enjoyed the photos, it really shows the real philippines, those photos cannot be hidden with modern buildings or shopping malls, they are just a fact of what philippine is all about – poverty, backwardness, low quality life or none at all, despite what i see on that pictures, i am still in great hope that philippines would improve (maybe not in my lifetime).
Anthony: This guy really is a true artist… An outstanding collection.
One of the saving graces of the Philippines is the freedom of the press – the media are probably the most outspoken in S.E. Asia and pay a high price for it. About 10 reporters of one kind or another are killed or disappear each year.It just amazes me that the others carry on disregarding the threat to their lives.I often wonder if I would have the courage to do the same.
Roy:
I had a job offer in Mumbai right before we came to Manila. Very, very good money, but no thank you. I would not want to live there.
Bryan: Press freedom is important. That is what keeps people honest (As long as they report news and not the latest about Britney’s newest three-headed monkey baby.)
Hi John! Good for you! But why? Ah..you don’t want to be an OFW husband?
I was just making a joke when I say I don’t want to live there. Ok maybe, it’s not a good idea that I should live there, sa Pilipinas na lang ako..Given a chance, I would love to travel to India though. I think India is fascinating, & all that.
Roy:
I find India fascinating too… But the poverty there is simply crushing. Additionally, the sanitation (lack thereof)standards mean that I have gotten sick nearly every time I have visited (And I travel enough to know how to be careful).
One major difference I see here in the RP is that the truly dirt poor at the very least seem to have some hope for a better future. That is something I notice missing in India.
Rebecca and I discussed the opportunity before I turned it down… We were to be given a house in a Western compound, and Becky would have adapted relatively easily (There are many Indians in the UAE, and she is familiar with the culture and even speaks a little Hindi.)
However, the downsides outweighed the advantages.
Roy:
Interesting comment. My Indian colleagues on my first trip there, quite a while back, saw how disgusted I was at the poverty level. Their comment: “What you see is not necessarily how it really is.” Many of the people living in the shanties do so voluntarily… No rent or taxes. Many of them have electricity and even running water.
That being said, no one could reasonably argue that the poverty levels in India and the Philippines aren’t dire. On my flight back yesterday, I was reading the paper and I saw at the top of the Manila Times, “Poverty levels fall to 47%!” In my mind, that is nothing to proclaim success about. That means that nearly half of the people in this nation of 100 million do not even have the resources to minimally scrape by. I can tell you that the situation in India, and China for that matter, is worse.
Much of it is that I think in Western terms…”Why, by accident of birth, is my life easier than all these millions of people?” It is depressing, at best. Personally, I believe that a big part of the reason there is more hope here is the prevailing strong Catholic faith. It is very much a unifying force here, as opposed to India with hundreds of different faiths and China with no officially sanctioned faith.
Hi john,
47% poverty is not something I am proud of, it almost equates to 1:1, i.e. in every 2 person 1 is poor or can barely afford food for a day. the problem i am seeing is a lot of my countrymen are very resistant to change, they do not acknowledge the level of poverty in the philippines, therefore, very little has been done by my countrymen to change the country, almost everybody are blinded by the fancy buildings and shopping malls and most of them thinks that philippines is not a poor country, the reality is far from it.
Thanks to the press and media, at least they announce to the entire philippines the status of poverty in the country, can you imagine if there are no media to tell us the real score? unfortunately, the media has a big role in the society and it affects the attitude of the people, look at the noontime shows, the soap operas etc..etc.. it sucked the people and glue them in front of the t.v. during noon time or in the evening. the media also portray the country as if “we are not poor” by showing the people the fancy philippines.
As I’ve said from my previous post, I do not use the fancy public and private infrastructure to measure how rich/poor the country is.
I know it is very hard to measure the country’s status but I have my own way of measuring it, My yard stick is based on 4 categories, 1. level of economy and what it is based on, 2. general quality of life 3. Advancement in the field of science and technology and education, and last but not least, 4. freedom and justice system.
The strong Catholic faith is one of the things that has held the Philippines back in the past – the huge birth rate is one of the consequences.Organised religion – whatever the faith – has always been reluctant to accept change or free thinking as it reduces the power of the organisation to control the lives of the masses.Have a look around the world and the most troubled countries are those where religion is the biggest influence on society.
Dans: Poverty is such an enormous problem and there are no quick fixes. Ultimately, it will be up to the Filipino people themselves to change things, if those in power give them the tools to do so. That is how corruption makes this all relevant. Press freedom is one very important tool. Hopefully, someday, the others will come.
Roy:
I see hope in the remarkable ways poor Filipinos manage to eke out a living. No job? Create your own by helping others back out of parking spaces! The ingenuity people employ just to survive amazes me. When you unite that ingenuity with a strong faith that encourages things getting better, then that spells real hope.
hi roy,
I thank the media because it made a common pinoy to see the real score of our country, sure, the media portrayed the country negatively and exaggeratedly to the rest of the world which i think is too negative, what i am thanking the media for is they at least opened the eyes of a common pinoy who never seen the world and cannot compare the country to other country.
Those filipinos who are outraged by the negative news about the philippines are the same people who refuses or do not acknowledge the existence of extreme poverty in the philippines, ironically these are the same people who thinks that they are more superior than a common poor pinoy, and to me, they are hypocrite,
47% poverty is extreme already, the poverty problem cannot be solve until the people acknowledge it especially those who are in power.
If the people do not acknowledge the problem, then the people would think that there is no problem, and when there is no problem then no one needs a solution, therefore, nobody would lift a finger to make a solution to a real problem that exist, it is as simple as that!
hi john,
I know that poverty is hard to combat, and as you said, there’s no quick fix for it, However, with the power of free speech, freedom, and all other liberty we have that you cannot find in other S.E.A nations, for me, that is all what the filipino need to combat poverty, The media particularly, the T.V. station has a big influence to a common pinoy, unfortunately, it has been used to the network station advantages rather than to help the people. for the t.v. networks what important for them is their ratings, more viewer – more revenue and they don’t care what they feed into people’s mind., take wowowee for example, the T.V. network says that wowowwe gives hope to the people (that is a lot of BS) the truth is, the show exploits the poor, they make fun of the people not only nationwide but globally as well in exchange for a pack of noodles from some sponsors, it teaches the viewer to get-up in the early morning to fall-in line at the stations gate so that they can join the show and hoping that they can win “big prices” such as noodles. (false hope don’t you think?).
why not use at least an hour of t.v.airtime to teach the filipino how to improve their lives, and show the people the real score of the nation instead of airing koreanovela?
Britney has a 3 headed monkey baby , when did that happen????.Dose Rusty know about this ..
Phil n Jess
Hi phil,
In my opinion, those who cannot afford a decent meal 3x a day, those who do not have a decent house, those who cannot find work and live on a hand-to-mouth lifestyle, those who cannot send their one and only child to school those who cannot even afford to have a clean drinking water. for me that is an extreme poverty.
Phil: The official 2007 poverty rate for a family of 5 is PHP 6,195 per month. That is just over 200 pesos per day. It would be difficult to feed and clothe 5 people in a household on this amount. Again, something for foreigners to think about when exclaiming how cheap things are here. Almost half the population lives on less than $1 per day.
I tught the last one from Cletus had 3 heads and fur…. hmmmm…. Maybe I mixed her up with someone else.
Thanks for the info John an Dans .Now I have a better idea what is happening ..
Juan: One thing about politicians is that they know how to press the right buttons with people. I think that as Filipinos continue to develop their country, things will get better. Unfortunately, it is a very slow process. I see a lot of hope, however.
Thanks!