Can you think of any one thing that the Philippines is really a world leader in? Honestly, I can’t. I feel bad about that too. I love the Philippines, it is my home after all, and has been for over 8 years now. But, as much as I want to find something, I can’t think of a single category where the Philippines is a world-class player in the field.
Fifty years ago, the Philippines was a World-Class producer of rice. They produced very high yields of rice, and even exported rice. The Philippines became the home of the International Rice Research Institute because of it’s World-Class status in the production of rice. Those days have passed, though, and the Philippines is now the biggest importer of rice in the world, having to bow down to countries that can supply food for it’s people. It’s sad.
In what fields, today, is the Philippines a player, a country to be emulated, a place that people look to with envy? There are markets where the Philippines wants to be such a player, but it isn’t happening yet.
Tourism. The Philippines has always dreamed of being a world hot-spot for tourists. There are always new resorts popping up. New tourist attractions. New promotions being run to attract tourists. But, does any of this ever seem to pay off? No, unfortunately. The truth is that traveling to the Philippines is hard to do. I’ve written about this many times before, and a lot of people always comment in agreement. The resorts here tend to be sub-standard to what is found in other countries, and also priced higher, often much higher. In many parts of the Philippines, pollution is a problem (air pollution, litter, polluted water, etc, etc, etc.) and that turns tourists off. Air travel to the Philippines is expensive, due to a lack of competition (no open-skies policy). It’s nearly impossible to book hotels and such via the Internet, which is the method of choice for people all over the world in 2008. I believe that the Philippines could be a World-Class destination, but it will take work, hard work. It will take determination, and it will take co-operation. Can all of these things come together to make the Philippines a World-Class tourist destination? Maybe, maybe not. I am not hopeful.
How about making the Philippines world-class in some other areas? Make it the world’s number one fishing destination? Oh, I forgot, overfishing has left the waters virtually fish-less, and even the commercial fishermen now have to go fish in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. How about making the Philippines a world class eco-tourism destination? Oh yeah, litter, pollution, commercialization. Hmm… How about a world-class medical tourism destination? Oops….. recent cases of doctors not taking their practice of medicine seriously have downgraded the public view of medical service in the Philippines. How about the Philippines being a world-class anything? Frankly, it can be done, if people are willing to work for it!
My personal opinion is that the President of the Philippines (not necessarily Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, just whoever happens to be the President at the time) needs to go on a crusade to make the Philippines a World-Class something. Pick an industry and do it! Set a time of like 5 years or 10 years, and put the country’s resources to work to make that area into what it has the potential to be! For example, let’s say that Palawan could be turned into an eco-tourism site. Focus all of the government and private sector efforts possible toward the goal, and get it done. Make sure that it is clean. Make sure that it is unspoiled. Make sure that the proper types of facilities are built (and build them to world-class standards) and then promote it. Promote it to the world. Put people to work to show the friendliness of the Philippines to the rest of the world. Offer a World-Class eco-tourism experience in Palawan. Don’t just go with the local knowledge of what should be there. Send out teams to current world leading areas of eco-tourism and see what they are doing. Emulate them. Heck, copy them if that is what must be done. But, make it World-Class. If the whole experience works out and the Philippines can make itself a leader on this particular case, then choose other targets to shoot for in other parts of the Philippines.
I want the Philippines to stop shooting for “good enough” and shoot to be the best. Right now, honestly, I can think of no category where the Philippines is even trying to shoot for anything above mediocrity. That’s not good enough, and frankly, the results that the Philippines experiences in world markets is a sure indicator that what is being done is not good enough.
Bahala na. Pwede na. Wipe those expressions right out of the national mindset!
Good Morning Bob,
(Our time zones are only a few hours apart – so I’m one of the first to see your report for the day). Good idea, Bob, but “how” is the operative word. Complacency is probably the major issue even more so than graft and corruption. If it was just graft then the entrepreneurs would think “the more successful the place is, then the more I can graft”! Tourism and agriculture (and previously fishing) would be the “compartive advantages” in strict economic terms. Probably pays to focus here first. I was surprised how much “vacant” land there was around Davao that could be producing something rather than weeds and accumulating rubbish. With all those islands and coastline tourism has go to be the best proposition. However, the economic term “comparitive advantage” means you must have a natural advantage over others which likely translates to be better and cheaper than others – but price is an issue in the Philippines. After all, a sandy beach, sun, warmth and coconut tree are not unique – we have thousands of kilometres of exactly the same here in Australia!
What I would like to see would be foreigners allowed to own land and corporations. Even if the government put a 50 or 100% tax on the aquisition of same. The place would boom and the new talent and get-up-and-go attitude of the newcomers would stir the place up positively. What you also need over there is a proper land titling system. We are exporting from Australia the “Torrens Title” system of land titling which would well be worth a look at. What is it? Torrens title is a system of land title where a register of land holdings maintained by the state guarantees indefeasible title to those included in the register. The system was formulated to combat the problems of uncertainty, complexity and cost associated with old system title, which depends on proof of an unbroken chain of title back to a good root of title.
The Torrens title system was introduced in South Australia in 1858, formulated by then colonial Premier of South Australia Sir Robert Torrens. Since then, it has become pervasive around the Commonwealth of Nations and very common around the globe.
In the United States, only Iowa has all its land under the Torrens system; other states with a limited implementation include Minnesota, Massachusetts, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington
Such basic improvements as a decent title system gives everyone more faith in the overall system. Keep up the good work, Bob.
Bob,
Being in the tourism industry for over 20 years it pains me to think that other destinations in Asia are doing well, and the Philippines has been left out. I will say one problem is the community abroad, they will not travel whilst in the Philippines, they get off the plane and head to the Province, if they have the desire to go to a resort the issue of taking the family always comes up, also they will not book domestic travel with a firm in the UK/USA/Canada, they will wait to book when they arrive home, this makes it very hard for tour operators to dedicate time/resources/advertising to the Philippines. Are the hotels sub standard-YES, is it a pain to book-YES, are rates different for foreigners, Japanese included-YES, is local tourism chaotic to book-YES, do we get upcharged to use a credit card-YES, with all of the problems I think tourism is still a diamond in the rough for the Philippines, what I would like to see is a program like Israel offers, simply put a Kibbutz program, overseas Filipinos would send their children home to work on a farm in an industry to grow the country, perhaps cattle raising, why is beef imported from Brazil???, oranges can be grown, bamboo farming you name it, change can happen, another thought is that the Governement support Filipino cuisine abroad, whet peoples appetite for the destination, Thai restaruants are global and elegant, try to get Adobo in a 5 star restaurant anywhere……. make people proud of the Philippines and start with Filipinos and the world will follow—it can be done whether it is a tax on DTD boxes, OFW remittances this money can be pumped into industry to make the Philippines a world exporter and tourist destination.
Sadly its my humble opinion that the politicians have bleed the country dry of any possible development / investment, which is what they need to bring in dollars to fund such projects and turn the economy around. As the rest of asia moves on the RP is stuck in a quagmire of corruption that runs so deep and profound its people , its Country will not dig out of in this generation. Its a sad testimony to a wonderful culture who's nature of gentleness has been exploited by those in power all in the name of greed.
Hi John – Good ideas there! I hope that someday, some leader in the Philippines will make a simple effort to just pick up on even one idea and use it to start an industry forward. The country could be great at something!
Hi AussieLee – Certainly land titling is a huge problem in the Philippines. Some pieces of land are totally unclear on the ownership issue. This makes it where using the land for some progressive purpose is practically impossible, as any improvements are at risk, since nobody owns it "for certain."
Hi Brian – I think that the country can still be saved. It will take some huge sacrifice and changes in the system here to pull the Philippines up into a "World Class" place in any respect. I do hope that it will happen, because I love the Philippines.
John
I have a feeling that any taxes raised on DTD boxes and Remittances would be sucked up by political cronies. Let us learn from the Marcos era.
Hi Neal in RI – For me, I am an advocate of keeping taxes low and letting the private sector use the money to make improvements. I feel that is much more efficient!
Hi Neal and Bob, I am not a tax advocate trust me. Hong Kong has a hotel tax, as do so many cities and those funds go directly into tourism. There has to be a system that monies can be collected and spent in the right places. By mentioning DTD boxes I was merely suggesting the amount of goods that go to the Philippines with no excise at all, I pay the post office/courier more to send a parcel across Canada than a box loaded with goodies to the Philippines, I also pay fees of 12-20$ to send money to the Philippines, a couple of bucks in the right place would do wondersin the private sector, but it needs seed money.
Hi John – The services you mention already are taxed. The Balikbayan Box shippers have pre-negotiated agreements on the tax per box. In lieu of inspecting each box to declare customs fees, the box shippers and the government agree on a flat rate per box, and it is included in the shipping fees.
On the money remittance, the companies that handle that must be licensed by the government as remittance handlers, and they pay fees as well.
The biggest problem when it comes to additional taxes is that the corruption is so rampant, how much of the additional tax will actually reach the government coffers? 😯
Hi Bob,
I'd settle for the Phils to be number one in corruption-free government!
Hey, while we're dreaming, why not dream big? 😉
Hi Paul – Indeed, you are certainly dreaming big! 😆
Hi Bob,
I did know that about the DTD service… it is 3.00$ a box in tax, albeit I cram 500$ worth of goods in it. That tax wont change anything if it goes to the wrong people, which it does of course.
How do we engange private enterprise to spend in the right places, amazingly in the charitable world I can feed a child, I can buy a goat for a family for milk etc.
I think a home grown solution wont work for all of the reasons we agree on, but surely there must be a way to pump money into the country and build an empire??
Hi John – Like you, I am looking and watching for the right solution. So far, I haven't found it. Apparently, nor has the government of the Philippines. 🙁
Hi, Bob. I've written about this before.
The Philippines is number one in the Domestic Helper Industry throughout the world. Remember the big brou-ha-ha when Greece introduce a new word in their vocabulary: "Filipina" meaning servant or maid.
If one goes to Hongkong and stroll around Victoria Park on weekends one won't be able to find a single spot not occupied by Pinays on their day-off.
All over the world in homes, hotels, restaurants, offices, cruise ships, etc…one will find Filipinos in the janitorial industry.
But you are correct. Even with the Domestic Helper Industry (still number one in the world though), the Philippines is doing a very mediocre/lousy job…in training, organizing, branding, and marketing.
That's why I suggest that all colleges offer a new baccalaureate course.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ATSAYLOGY Make it a formal education!
Cleaning bathrooms for instance. It needs proper knowledge. Proper use of which chemicals e.g. lysol, muriatic acid, lye, etc.
Steel wool? a no no.
Proper care of swimming pools e.g. use of chemicals, maintaining the correct ph, cleaning filters, etc.
Proper use of appliances, cleaning and driving cars, how to host a party, landscaping 101, reading newspapers and clipping coupons, etc.
BSA should also require proficiencies in two langauges aside from English and Tagalog. In other words, if the country's priority is to make everybody all atsays and atsoys…. be the prime standard of the world!
The Philippines has the competitive advantage on this particular industry right now but Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Bangladesh are trying to catch up….and the last I hear China is thinking about it too.
Hi Dr. Long – I have to respectfully disagree….
You see, I don't consider having the best maids in the world an accomplishment of the Philippines! That is an accomplishment individually of each person who goes abroad to be a maid. What I am talking about is something where the country is number one. Something inside the country.
I personally do not believe that overseas workers benefit the Philippines in the long run. Sure, in the short term, they send money home, but it tends to leave the country behind in the long term, IMHO.
Just my opinion. 😉
How about singing and boxng? 😀
Hi Cathy – Hmm… well, do you really think that the Philippines has the best singers in the world? I guess that the guys who keep me awake every night singing Karaoke next door do think they are the best singers in the world! 😆
Boxing? Yes, Manny Pacquiao is the best in his weight class, no doubt there! However, when you get into heavier weight classes, the Philippines doesn't even compete, as far as I know. I would consider Pacquaio and the few other champion class boxers more of an individual achievement than a National one. But, indeed they are good accomplishments!
Corruption is the biggest problem, with politicians skimming a minimum 10% from all projects that pass through their office. Add to that the fact that all tax funds collected in the provinces go to Manila and then trickle back down through the politicians… IF they have found favor with the party in power. It is a total mess.
Tourism is promoted, and here is how I think it works; some politician manages to get funds for his pet tourism project, it gets built, a party is held, newspaper articles are written, dignitaries are taken to the new tourist spot, and that is it. There are no funds set aside for maintenance. All proceeds go to whoever managed to get into the proceeds receiving position. It is seen a s a cash cow, always milked, never fed. The paint begins to peel. The plumbing stops working well. The water heaters quit working. Gray, tattered towels are not replaced, nor are the pilled bed sheets. Floor tiles break and the cracks in the cement walls are not patched. There are cigarettes holes in the table clothes and weeds in the flower beds. Fewer and fewer non-locals show up. The souvenir shop closes. They fire the good cook and hire a cheaper one. and that's it. Another defunct tourism location in which to hold Rotary meetings.
As I have mentioned before I think that a lack of maintenance and the lack of understanding of the concept of putting money back into a business is a huge problem. The Chinese understand this, but don't tend to be interested in tourism, as a general rule. They tend to invest more in businesses that will not be seasonal or be affected by politics, like hardware and groceries and dry goods. Which is smart! Tourism is risky business. If I build it, will they come? It's a gamble. But if it is built with government (taxpayer's) money, no one worries about the risk! It belongs to everybody and nobody. Everybody promotes it for a while, and nobody is in charge of maintenance!
Hi AmericanLola – Whew! That pretty much sums it all up! The thing is – how to change things?
Also, I am not saying that tourism is the only way to go. just make the Philippines a World-Class player in something!
To AUSSIE LEE
What you also need over there is a proper land titling system. We are exporting from Australia the “Torrens Title” system of land titling which would well be worth a look at.
Philippines has LRA where it implements the Torrens System. And I quote:
The LAND REGISTRATION AUTHORITY – (LRA) is an agency attached to the Department of Justice mandated to issue decrees of registration and certificates of title and register documents, patents and other land transaction for the benefit of landowners, Agrarian Reform-beneficiaries and the registering public in general; to provide a secure, stable and trustworthy record of land ownership and recorded interests therein so as to promote social and economic well-being and contribute national development.
MANDATE
Implementing and protecting the Torrens System of land registration.
It is the central repository of all land records involving registered or titled lands;
ETC, ETC.
But your right, Australia has kilometers of sandy beaches, coconut trees & beautiful weather.
just another pinoy's rant –
i think it boils down to that "pwede na" attitude you mentioned. i'd be perfectly happy if the philippines were not leaders in any category as long as that there is a new aggressive attitude to want to be the best by everyone.
little things i've seen like that lack of edge when losing in pick-up game of basketball or the hesitancy to dig into a healthy debate because we don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. they add up. too much of that shy impish attitude & not enough fire in the belly.
that lack of individual confidence again. we just don't want to push things that we go too far ahead of the pack.
and then what gets me is that when a filipino is recognized internationally. they become this new national hero. that this one is unique & special. i'd rather have us think that this is expected & we should have more.
i am generalizing, of course. i know many who don't fit what i said. still, my critique is not to put my people down. its because i know we are capable of much more.
Hi Roy – whatever systems have been put in place for titling land, i think we can all agree that something isn't working right in regards to land titles in the Philippines. What do you think? For me, choose a system, and make sure that it works.
Hi macky – you make some good points there, and many are things that I did not consider. Some of the things you said I would have been hesitant to say, simply because they would be looked at differently coming from a foreigner than from a Filipino. I am happy that you stepped in and said some things that indeed need to be said. And opening my mind to some new angles that I had not thought of.
Macky has brought up a very good point. There is a hesitancy to actually excel. I am not sure how this plays out in areas of commerce, like tourism, and medicine or education on a broad scale, but on an individual level, there are not really much incentive to becoming a huge success unless you can do it while abroad, and even then, quietly. If someone gets beyond their peers and family, especially financially, there will be many demands made which, in the end, effectively brings the person who has made it big, back to their former level of wealth. There is a price to pay for success, so why give it your all?
Hi AmericanLola – i totally agree with you and macky on this.
Dr Sponk
"Come on Now"
you can't mean that you want the Great Filipino/Na people to pride themselves on being the best at Scrubbing Bathrooms.
Your way out of line. My opinion.
Bob,
Bad news here! A friend recently returned from a visit to RP and she brought my wife a gift. The "Magic Mic" is now disturbing the peace right here in RI. I feel your pain. 😡
Hi Neal in RI – Oh my, the karaoke has now invaded Rhode Island? My sympathy to you!
Dr sponk
I am not sure if you are currently living in the philippines or have lived long enough in the country, well, even if you do lived in the philippines, it appears to me your lack of information about ofw', it is true that there are lots of filipino ofw maid and i don't see any problem with that, as long as it is a decent job, it is something to be proud about and i don't have a problem with that, what you have missed though, is that there are OFW nurses who went abroad to care for your elders where nobody wants from their own family to care for them, Our OFW teachers who choose to teach aboard to teach your children where nobody wants to teach them, Our OFW engineers in the middle east who runs the oil machineries, our OFW's in iraq who serves the american soldiers and makes their life much easier when no one from your country want to serve your own soldier because of fear, our architects and civil engineers who build and designs buildings in the mid-east. the list can go on and on….
It is totally unfair to recognized filipinos as being a domestic helper only, when there a millions of them who are not. statistically, there are more Filipino in the states who have bachelor's and Ph.D degree than their counter parts,
we are the silent minority, it is a fact that in the U.S. filipinos are not represented well enough to be recognized, despite the ❓ fact that there are millions of them who lives there,
all i can say is… even if you have lived in the philippines or met filipinos does not make you an expert. your post only proves your lack of knowledge about the filipino people but takes the issue as if you are an expert.
Hi dans – I think that you and Dr. Long are going to have an interesting conversation on this topic! 😯
hi bob.. hi dan… i agree with dan…talking from my own experience.. there are so many skilled filipinos that are unrecognize.. im in the furniture/interior design industry and we have so many talented designers and artist who are working in other countries.. we also have skilled carpenters,finishers and designers which many of my workers are being pirated by companys in china , vietnam and middle east…. other countries pay high price for these filipinos just to teach them how we make our furniture
everybody in the furniture industry that philippines is known as a producers of high quality fine furniture.. cebu and pampanga are the furniture hub in the country… many of our factories here makes furniture and home decor for the big names in the industry that you see in american interior design magazine or in europe..people in the furniture business knows that china and vietnam are furniture producers too and can produce in big quantity but they dont have the quality that filipino can make and the designs that filipinos can create.. even famous signature brands have them made in the philippines and just put there brand name on the items … thats why we never get credit for it..
Hi Athena – I am happy to know that the Philippines is known for quality furniture design! I didn't know that before you spoke up.
Regarding furniture designs being pirated, the problem is that the anti-piracy laws are not enforced by the Philippines, so how could the Philippines expect for their products to not be pirated in return? Look at all the pirated DVD's, software, etc. Perhaps when the Philippines cracks down on stealing from other countries, protecting it's own products will also become easier.
Thanks for sharing about the furniture design! I wish you all the best in the business, too!
hi bob,
anti-piracy law has nothing to do with athena's post, i think, what she meant was, her worker is being pirated by other companies by giving them a better wages, benefits etc..etc. so that the employee will leave and join the new company.
Hi dans – thanks for clarifying. I took it to mean that designs were being stolen by the other countries.
Much simpler to argue another point, though…. if the workers are being hired by other companies, there is a solution – pay them better salaries. 🙄
hi bob,
this will gonna be a long discussion, in any country, if you have a good employee that can make millions for your company what would you do to them? of course give them what they deserve, however; there's always a bigger company than you that can give 10 times more than what you are providing to your employee, a time will come when you can no longer match what other companies can give to the employee.
it is wrong to say or think that just because the employee leaves the old company and join the new one because of the better wages, does not necessarily mean the employee are being maltreated or paid less, it is a common business practice to pirate a good worker just to compete, this does not only happens in the Philippines, the occurrence is much greater in the first world countries.
here's my opinion,
in the eyes of the westerners, there's nothing "world class" that Filipino can brag about, well that is totally wrong.
it all depends on who you talk to and what part of world they've met Filipinos,
If you are in the middle east, Filipinos are well known in the Technical field. particularly in the IT field,
If you are in hong-kong, Filipinos are well known for being a domestic helper
If you are in the states, canada, australia, nz , Filipinos are known in the Medical Field / Teaching Field and IT field.
In the electronic field, Philippine is well known to produce semi-conductors and electronic components.
There's a lot of things that the Philippine can brag about, it is only a matter of knowing them.
With the highest literacy rate in the so-called developing world, the Philippines certainly has the capability to be the world leader in acquiring technological and customer support services outsourced from other countries. Call centers are a great example. I don't see the Philippines becoming a leader in tourism anytime soon unfortunately.
well said dan.. thanks 😉 and i agree with you wade
oh another thing bob…. philippines is also known for being the producers of natural Gold color south sea pearls…. and i mean WORLD CLASS gem quality natural gold color south sea pearls.. FYI: there are many types of pearls but the south sea pearls are the most expensive ones … 🙂
Hi dans – You and I are talking about two completely different topics! You are talking about
Filipinos. I am talking about the Philippines. Not the same! I agree that many Filipinos have world class skills, but that has nothing to do with what I have written about.
I mean, what INSIDE THE PHILIPPINES is world class? Not the people, the place!
Hi Wade – Perhaps the Philippines can become a world leader in call centers, but they are not there yet. India is, no doubt, leading the world in this area so far, and by a wide margin. I agree about tourism, it is just an example that I used here.
Hi Athena – ha ha.. I contend that nobody "Produces" Pearls. They are from nature. But, honestly, I am happy that there are areas where the Philippines excels, and I am willing to accept your argument that the country excels in Pearls and Furniture.
Hi Bob,
I think you would agree that what the Philippines needs is Branding. What does the world think when they hear "Philippines"? If Philippine furniture and pearls are the best they should be sold with a big label that says "Made In the Philippines" on it. Eventually, people will look for things made in the Philippines and pay the higher price. It is easier to sell wholesale, but who knows that a computer chip was made in the Philippines; what the consumer knows is it says "Dell" or "HP" on the outside.
Mark C.
Hi Mark C. – Good thoughts there. Branding is important to every business, and in this case to the country too. You are right, you have to really get that "Made in the Philippines" label on everything that can help promote a positive image for the country! 😀
hi bob, how about the philippine mangos. are they on top of world sales for mangos?
Hi Jerry Smith – Thanks for that comment. The Philippine mangoes are certainly EXCELLENT. In my opinion, the Philippine mango is the best in the world. The marketing effort for the Philippine mango is not up to par yet, though. Firstly, there are too many parts of the world where Philippine Mangoes are unavailable. Also, what Mark C. says is very true in this instance – BRAND, BRAND, BRAND. Recently, in Sarangani Province, they have branded their mangoes as a premium mango product and they are calling them "Sarangani Gold" – this gives a better impression than just "mangoes from the Philippines." If you know what I mean. It comes across as the premium product that it is! This is the kind of thing that the Philippines could truly make into a world-class product that would define the Philippines as a world leader.
Hi Bob,
Been reading and thinking, and may have discovered something that measures up to being Number One. The category? STRAW BOSSES!
Not a bit of work commences in the Phils without an adequate number of straw bosses present, ready to do the "heavy kibitzing" as required. 😆
Hi Paul – Ha ha… I didn't know what a "straw boss" was, so I looked it up. Here is the definition that I found:
A worker who acts as a boss or crew leader in addition to performing regular duties.
Now, I have never worked in a Philippine workplace, so I am unfamiliar with this, but I'll take your word for it!
Hmm… the world leader in straw bosses? I don't know how much fame that will bring for the country, though! 😀
Straw boss to worker ratio averages about 3:1 in Phil construction sites I've been to. About 1:8 elsewhere in the world! 😆
Hi Paul – Well, with a ration like that, the Philippines has to be a world leader!
We have a saying in the States, which relates:
"Too many chiefs and not enough Indians!" (this is no longer politically correct… but you get my drift! 😆
I do no this about the filipino, when some money is put into a project the men and women hired will bust some serious hump to get the job done whatever it is. I do agree that fear of investment do to corruption is a major issue. The filipino love to work hard and play hard!
ok, i don' want to spoil the topic, but when we say "World Class" in what basis of measurement are we referring to? is that a world class for the americans? european? asians?
because, there are things in the philippines that are world class in the eyes of other nations but not to westerners. again, in my opinion, it seem to me that being a world class means it has to be in the taste of the westerners, i am not bashing the westerners here, one must realize on how do we measure things that might be consider a world class.
in regards to branding, here is my opinion on that, philippines has a trading partner, mainly the u.s., saudi arabia and japan, now let's face it, there are many products from the philippines that are considered world class for the americans, world class for the saudis or japanese, and these product are re-branded from "made from phils. to made from whoever-countries"
mangoes is a good example, is the best and the most expensive mangoes in the middle east, saudis are paying 5 times higher than the mangoes coming from india,pakistan,egypt as a matter of fact, the mangoes from the philippines is what they used to produce a bottled mango juice. again, i would consider philippine mangoes as world class in the middle east but probably not in Europe or America.
now.. what exactly is a World Class to you?
Hi John – Very true.
Hi dans – In my mind, "World Class" means that exactly. It means that it among the best in the world. Everybody's eyes count, it doesn't matter what country they are from – we are all part of the "world" we all get to help decide.
If the Philippines prefers to shoot for less than World-Class, that is a choice that they can make. I see no reason to do so, though, because the country can achieve World-Class status in many areas, if it strives to do so! 😆
Currently, the yardstick to measure a world class products or services is the ISO. So the question is; Are there products or services in the Philippines recognized by ISO? The answer is 'Yes' there are? Peace!!!
Hi Teng – I am sorry, but the ISO measures processes. They cannot, for example, say "those are the best tasting mangoes in the world" or "resort x is among the best places to travel in the world. The ISO says things like "in order to heat treat mangoes you must do x, y and z. The Philippines does those processes correctly, and thus we certify that their mangoes are heat treated."
That is a totally different thing than I am talking about.
Peace.
hi bob,
I agree with your ISO thing, ISO is a set of standards, i.e. an ISO certified bottled water from the Philippines has the same taste and quality of ISO certified water you can get from any country.
here are few products from the Philippines regarded as "World Class" (maybe not in the western world)
San Miguel Beer is regarded the most expensive, high quality, world class beer in the middle east.
Del Monte Products such as bananas and pine apple, are regarded as a world class product from the philippines but re-branded by local importers, have you ever seen or tasted a 14 inches long, over 1 inch thick banana? it is sold here under different brand but it is a product of philippines, local people and other nationalities are looking for these brand, sad to say, philippine is not given a credit for this.
Coconut juice in-can is a world class on its own right but re-branded by other country and it is sold here under that country name.
i can go on and on…
i've been in the some south east asian countries, singapore, malaysia, thailand, brunei, vietnam, indoensia i've been in some european countries, france, germany, italy, spain, i've been in north america,i've been in the middle east. saudi, uae, bahrain, kyrgyztan, kazaksthan etc..etc.. i lived there long enough to learn and see how philippines are regarded as world class.
I think, in order to see the philippine as a world class, one must leave the country and visit other countries where philippines is regarded as a world class.
just as an additional, philippines is striving to be a world class and i think, what is needed to be done in order to make the philippines proud of its product and let the whole world know we are competing as a world class producer, is by making a law, the main problem is, once the product leaves the philippines, we don't have a control on what will be done to its brand, what i mean is, there must be a law that the import/export companies must put a tag on its product that it came from the philippines, as i said, once it leaves the country, we don''t have a control of it. thus, the philippines is not credited for it.
Hi Dans – I agree, San Miguel Beer is indeed a world class beer, there can be no doubt on that.
Del Monte is not a Philippine Company, it is a US Company with a Philippine subsidiary, so it would be hard to count that one.
I agree that there are products in the Philippines that are indeed world class. A number of people, including you Dans have refreshed my memory and opened my eyes on that, and I appreciate it.
hi paul – the STRAW BOSSES thing is not only confined in the philippines, you would amaze yourself if you come to saudi, all saudis wants to be a boss nobody want to do the hard work, the ratio is 20:1, most foreigner here including me has the same complaint, there are more bosses than the worker. ask an american who works here and you would be surprised what they will tell you about saudi work ethics.
hi bob – at first, i was so frustrated about my country, how bad it is , or how bad it competes, until i went abroad and roam some places on earth, i just realized that the philippines is up to world class but of course depending on where you are. maybe because i've traveled a lot it opens my eyes very wide, and i can see now that the philippines has something to brag about.
Although del monte is a US company, the high quality product it produced in the philippines is in the hand of filipinos, it reached its world class status because of their care, do you think if del mote would put a branch in some countries like egypt, do you think they would produce same quality? i doubt it.
paul – STRAW BOSSES is not only in the philippines, you can find worse than than, come to saudi arabia and you will see how saudis want to be a boss, nobody wants to be a worker, the ratio is 20:1, foreigners here, americans, british, canadian and including me has a similar complaint, saudi work ethics is the worst in the world. talk to an american who had a work experience here, you would amze what they had to say.
bob – at first, i was so frustrated about my country, how bad it is or how bad it compete worldwide, until i went abroad and roamed some places on earth, i just realized that when i still lived in the philippines i always compare my country to the western world, and use the western country as my own measuring against my own country, when i saw how other nation regard the philippines as a world class producer, it opens up my eyes very wide, philippines is not bad after all, there is always something world class the philippines can brag about.
although, del monte is a US company, the high quality product they produce in the philippines is in the hand of filipinos, it reached a world status because of the place and the people who work on it. if del monte put up a branch in egypt, do you think it can produce the same high quality?? i doubt it.
Hi Everyone
I have been reading this with great interest I know very little about the Philippines but im in the process of learning so this site is of great value to me.
One of the greatest needs the world will be facing in the years to come is a food supply
A country such as mine (new Zealand ) exports huge amounts of dairy products all over the world , the Philippines are a big market yet i see very few products from there on our shelves ,yet most of the vegetables we buy are from china. Perhaps agriculture could be the way to move forward.
Hi dans – Certainly, there are products that Del Monte can make in Egypt that would be world class, just not the same ones that they make in the Philippines. Del Monte also grows in Thailand, and the products are of a similar to the standard they produce in the Philippines. They are excellent products.
Hi Les – I'm glad that the site has proven helpful to you! Please keep visiting!
Hi Bob,
Indeed, ISO standards are set for processes and procedures. I believe it would help a lot if our goal is to achieve world class products and services if we set standards acceptable worldwide. Just like what you said Bob, “build them to world class standard”. Products and Services that would pass ISO standards is one way to accomplish a mission if we aim to making the Philippines in congruent to the first world countries.
Bob
this subject cuts across the subject of National Pride and i have read all contributions which are relevant and needed, thank goodness for Manny Pacqiao and mangoes, i love Manny's contribution to the national pride and alsothe home grown fruit and vegetables, i love them ( Gabi Bob, the vegetable you didn't recognise in Marrilug) here….BUT Bob is making a point here and a brave point…… i will stop here
Tuna exported from Mindanao (GenSan?) is recognized as top quality…
Costco, in the USA, now stocks and prominently displays Philippine dried mangoes (sometimes labeled Cebu; sometimes labeled Philippine).
I'd like to see some of the Philippine traditional industries like handweaving (hablon) get a world market.
There's always Marikina shoes… the Philippines makes some fantastic shoes at great prices. Much better than what we get coming from China and Vietnam.
And here's something: there are so many well-educated Filipinos; so many universities. I'd love for the Philippine universities to gain world renown and prestige on the world stage. (I'm sure none of them have the endowments of top western universities, which hinders them in this regard.)
Hi Bob, Your opinion about a leader to go on crusade to make the Philippine a world class is a good vision. The present government has already a vision for the Philippines to be a first world country by 2020. However, there are a lot of hindrances along the way. Hindrances that make the Philippines could stay still or even moving backwards in different areas. Aiming for a first world country status won’t be realized if the people are not helping our leaders towards that direction and a leader (or leaders) that has a genuine goals to uplift the lives of the masses. It’s an urgent need for the Filipino people to have ‘UNITY’ to achieve such vision. CHANGE is easier to put at hand if there’s a support from each other.
Hi Bob,
Just want to let you know that I have not forgotten you dont' want to engage political discussion in any subject you posted in your website because according to you, you're only a visitor in this country. However, a vision like yours such as this one 'making the Philippines world class' requires (for the the most part) a political solutions wheather you like it or not. Disregarding politics in your vision would remain a vision. It's your prerogative to keep yourself silent about politics but I guess your readers and visitors here would llike to hear your 'OPINION ONLY' about politics if an issue requires political views. I don't see any harm if someone is stating his political opinion? Anyways, that's my opinion and I stand to be corrected. 😉
Hi Bob,Very interesting post with some passionate replies.Certainly, Phils still has a long way to go as a developing nation.However, what has been overlooked is that Phils is world class in shipbuilding.Phils is the worlds no4 shipbuilding nation,and including the latest development by Hanjin industries in Cdo has attracted nearly $9 billion of overseas investment in this industry.Last Dec a contingent from the Greek shipping co Hellespont met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to propose the creation of a new shipping co in co-operation with the Aboitiz group of companies(Phils).The advantage Phils has in this industry is many deep sea ports and abundant labour. Phils is also the largest seafaring nation in the world,making up 22% of total shipcrews in the world,and there is great demand for filipino seaman.May i just add(slight diff topic):Cebu has the fastest growing economy in Phils,export growth has averaged @ 20% p/annum over the last 5yrs,some growth.Regards Chas.
hi chas – that is good to hear, i didn't know that until you spoke, it reminds me of the american who used to be stationed in angeles, he said that the philippine dock is one of the reason why the u.s. navy is in the philippines, he said that the seaport can actually dock their biggest sea carrier and it is so deep that the carrier can actually docked on the side of it, i don't know if there is any truth about it but i've heard it a lot of times from an american, so i guess there must be some truth about it.
via venetto shoe is a world class in its own right, as a matter of fact, there are lots of store outlets in the states and in some part of the world.
hi chas.. you are right about the ship building.. i totally forgot about it ,that we have tsuneshi in balamban cebu which is also is making the fast craft and ships for other countries…and yes cebu export industry is doing well including the handweaving that matt mentioned a while ago..
matt, cebu is doing the handweaving of sinamay (abaca fiber) mix with different types of materials that comes out sooo nice, that you wont recognize its handweave from abaca fiber.. famous american and italian fashion designers who also got into home decors are buying it from cebu .. 😀
bob, you sure did choose an interesting subject .. ive learn a lot from everybodys input about the topic..
dans , thanks.. your inputs surely gave my head more info to process .. 🙂 philippines needs more people like you dan.. 😀
Hi dans – hope the Phils doesn't strive for "saudi" world class status with STRAW BOSSES! 😆
Hi Bob – San Miguel Beer is world class when served in the Phils. Outside the islands, the export version can get pretty skanky from mis-handling. 😥
hi paul – i don't think Phil. will strive for that, filipinos are learning everyday, it reminds me, i used to work for a British company here, and they have more straw bosses than in the p.i., imagine this, 3 supervisors and 2 workers. 🙄
I think the leading edge of change may be returning Filipinos who have been overseas and want to change things up. The Philippines will never get anywhere so long as the place is owned by 6 or 7 families and we all know who these families are.
The question is, are Filipinos willing to come back to their county with their $$$ and push their weight around rather than to submit to a sadass colonial existence or some half baked version of America.
The only way out is do what India is doing, encourage a business/entreprenuerial class…. but the ultra-rich will just have to understand that it won't be their idiot children in this class. The prizes need to go to the hardworking.
since you brought up the OFW issue, i might as well vent my opinion, our government already acknowledge the OFW contribution to the country, our remittances makes the philippine economy afloat, if an OFW choose to return home, i think, the contribution they can make is their expertise, however, with the amount of money we are remitting back home every month, if the funds will be used properly, the expertise we can bring home can be acquired through different ways, such as providing more R&D, improves the education system etc..etc…
The root of the problem is, it is not the OFW who choose to stay abroad, it is not the Brain Drain, it is our politicians who are so greedy and the number of families who own big businesses and controls the flow of the economy.
if there is anything in the world i would like to have for the betterment of the philippines, that would be, disallow our politicians and make it illegal for them to have a bank account in foreign countries like the swiss bank where they keep all their robbed money, or make it a law in the states or in any country to ban filipino politicians to own properties.
Hi,
Everyone has a lot of good points. I would also like to see the Philippines being the best at something but the fact that it is not so well known and ignored by most people is why a lot of us like it. Its like our own little haven of some sort of peace and escapism.
I have noticed from my own limited experience that some Filipinos only seem to think in the short term, make a quick buck and spend the money. I can understand why they do this as most of them are in a difficult situation financially. How can you plan a few years ahead when you need your food today?
I also find it irritating to explain to everyone that I do not need to worry about getting my kidneys stolen when visiting the Philippines.
The system over there seems set up to protect the rich and powerful, a big change from the top down is needed.
Hi Bob – nice to see you don't shy away from the controversial subjects. You do a good job of maintaining a even hand in your responses.
I've got a few comments:
1) I thought Dr. Long's post was facetious. It appears I'm the only that took it that way.
2) According to the replies, there may well be things that the Philippines is world class in, chip making sounds like one, but it evidently isn't well known for it.
3) The very first thing that came to my mind when you first posted this was the export of people – whether that is in healthcare, domestic help (that didn't come to mind to me) or wives. I was hesitant to post about this, because it is a subject that can cause a lot of hard feelings, but it can not be denied that the Philippines is well known (whether it's considered World Class or not, or even fits Bob's intention, I don't know or care) for their "mail order bride" (for lack of a better term) industry. You can go no further than the front page of this blog to see the ad for FilipinaHeart.com to see what I mean by industry. I'm not judging, I'm just stating, that this is an area that the Philippines is well known for. Probably better known than any other country. It's a pretty big business in that it helps support things like net cafes, e-commerce stores, money transfer companies, governmental requirements (visas, passports, documentation), tourism, and of course the economy in general with the incoming cash flow.
This is a wonderful topic, Bob. I have to spend some time to read some lengthy comments here maybe later, hehe.
I would agree with Cathy that we could known for singing and boxing. 😉 hehe.
My quick list to make Philippines world-class:
1) Eradicate corruption in government.
2) Give more priority to developing scientists, engineers instead of lawyers, nurses (overabundance of them nowadays)
3) More education. Even continuous one and not settling only at least a high school education (so education for everone; poverty doesn't hinder anyone to good education).
4) Better infrastructure (should be working and long-lasting please). Just look at our deplorable roads that crumble during the rainy season (the use of cheap building materials and corruption is appalling).
5) Change of attitude (being ambitious, dreaming something big, striving to do best always and not having that "pwede na iyan" attitude) without a change in heart (maintaining that well-known characteristic of Filipinos on being happy, loving, and friendly bunch of people).
🙂
I must say that we always look for the Dole pineapple which is made in the philippines. It is packed in juice and is better that the same brand made in thiland. Also the philiipine braqd dried mango which we buy at costco it the best that can be bought. Also any products that are handycraft are arm and legs better if made in the philippines than china. 😎
I think one thing that severely hurts the Philippines ability to compete with world class countries is the complete lack of organization. The last time I was there I had a business idea I wanted to pursue, and nobody I spoke to in any govenment office could clearly explain the steps I would need to take to get the business off the ground. It seemed like an endless maze of red tape with no clear path that could take to complete the required paperwork etc. I love Filipino people, but they should hang around with Germans for a short while. German people are almost obsessively organized.
I agree with Randy…Filipinas make world class wives whether you meet them on the internet, or actually go over there and find one face to face 😆
I love the philippines the way it is. Do you want the philippines look like los angeles. We havent done a great job here in the good old US. We dont need to give everyone a gun and a pickup in the philippines. My family there is the best in the world. I dont judge them by my standards. They do enjoy a glass of tuba and some off key singing. I have been given more love from strangers there then some membersw of my own family. Let them develope their own way over the next two hundred years. I wont be around to see it but I hope my help to my family will make it happen. May my bones add nutrients to the soil to make it all possible. 😛
Wow, 80 (81 now) comments in two days. What's the most comments you've gotten on a post before, Bob ❓
"mail order bride" is something i am not proud of, i can understand why it happens, because of the poverty, there are souls in the philippines who want to escape it but no means to do so, then there's the people who exploit them and taking advantage of the poor soul, sad to say, people from the so-called "first world countries" are the ones who exploiting them with the help of some filipinos who are are willing to sell their own because of the love of money ,i wish these kind of people burn in hell.
I wouldn't assume that every Filipina looking for a husband on the internet is just desperate to leave the Philippines. I know several couples who have met this way (including me) who have been happily married for years. Online dating sites are becoming popular in the U.S. too. In fact, one of my best friends met his wife online here in the states.
happy mothers day to all mommy's.. cheers!!
To make sure that the Philippines remain the World Class Standard in the Domestic Helper Industry:
Here's the core curriculum that I will propose to (CHED Commision on Higher Education) in the degree of BSA:
First Year:
English I
Math 101
Chinese 101(Mandarin)
Elective Language 1 (Cantonese or Japanese or Italian or French or German)
Child Development I
Microbiology I
Laboratory I (Essentials of House Cleaning)
Second Year:
English II
Math II (with emphasis on comparative shopping)
Chinese II (Mandarin)
Elective Language II
Child Development II (Emphasis in Tutoring)
International Business Jurisprudence (labor laws, WTO, GATT, etc)
Laboratory II (Electrical Appliances, Fire Extinguishing, More House Cleaning)
Third Year:
English III
Chinese III (Mandarin or Cantonese)
Elective Language III
Ethics 101
Psychology I
Laboratory III (Essentials of Cooking and More House Cleaning)
Human Sexuality 101 (Reproductive Science/ Contraception)
Fourth Year:
English IV (Emphasis on Creative Writing, Resume Making, Story Telling)
Elective Language IV
Laboratory IV – Car Driving
Laboratory V – Introduction to French and Italian Cooking
Laboratory VI – Advance Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Laboratory VII- Shopping
Physical Education – Use of Treadmill, Avoiding Injuries when Execising, Jogging, Walking, Swimming (nobody graduates unless he or she can swim)
The last 6 months of the 4th year will be an internship.
Here's a video of the qualification a typical Domestic Helper today. She would have been better of if she graduated with a degree in BSA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEPVunLaN3g
Suggestions to the above curriculum will be much appreciated. I bet that in the next 5-10 years colleges and universities will offer this degree—-call it BSA—-or BSHM (Bachelor in Science in Home Management)….. or whatever but It will happen!
Dr. Sponk Long,
Although they will send the majority of money back to their families, I would include a class on personal finance with information about banking and investments. I'm sure most Filipinas don't want to be a maid forever, and proper use of their money may lead them to other opportunities.
Dr. Sponk Long,
FYI, BSHE or Bachelor of Science in Home Economics used to be offered by several Colleges in the Philippines. I'm not sure if it still exist nowadays. I'm just curious about your motive about DH from the Philippines to remain and pursuing more in world class standard. Do you think that it's an ambition or a dream of a Filipina child to become a DH one day?
Hi Bob and all,I just came across an old Serbian saying which you may find interesting,"A GREEDY FATHER WILL HAVE THIEVES FOR CHILDREN".I appreciate its slightly off topic,but thought i would share it.Chas.
Hi Joe Parisi. That will definitely be in the core curiculum. Let's call it Finance 101 and Finance 102.
Hi Teng. I think BSHE is still offered. If I remember right though the career path is more of teaching after graduation. But if the Department of Education will be willing to " change the curriculum" to the above I listed…why not? In fact, I like the Bachelor of Science in Home Economics as there is already a "Brand Recognition". You'll have a big clamour though from the previous BSHE graduates that they will be equated as domestic helpers.
About your question about a Filipina child's dream to be DH one day…hoepfully not. Everybody I think dreams to become a pretty pretty princess and marry her Knight with shining armour. The reality in the ground though is there are about 200,000 Filipina DH in Hongkong and probably the same number scaterred throughout the world.
Regarding keeping the Filipino's hold as the bearer of the gold standard of what a DH is: as I mention from my previous posts India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China are muscling in or are looking at this industry. 400,000 DH X $200/month X 12 months sent to the Philippines ….that's $960,000,000/ year. These countries know their math.
In the 1960's most Filipinas scorned nursing and avoid them. They don't want to be 'glorified maids'. The country was rapidly growing then. The demand for teachers and accountants (for the BIR) was very high…but no longer. Now, lots want to be nurses.
Now, being a DH is hush-hush….but it's changing. Lots will want to be a DH. The Philippines needs to hang on to this industry for a long while……
until….it will have the societal will to invest in better education i.e. invest in Basic Research and Development, Basic Science Technology..
Also Promote Innovation and most of all throw away laws that promote and maintain Feudalism and discourages grass roots entrepreneurships and foreign infusion of capital… etc…
Cheers!
Our country has so many "world-class" products and achievements. They are recognized all over the world. This world being mostly consisting of OFWs. Of course,
we don't care about what porengers think, cause we are the world (we are the children).
Por example, we excel at making lots of babies. That is why OFWs are our greatest export products.
Please don't compare us to other countries, it is like comparing apples and bananas. As I've said, we live in our own world.
We are proud in our own way, of our own standards. The Filipino standard is what we consider as the "world-standard".
Ahh, San Miguel Beer and adobo, number one in the world because Filipinos love them. No we don't care about what foreigners think, because as far as we know, they are the pinoys' number one choice!
PS. Beh, we even have our own Manila English, the best in the world!
After watching "Captain Flamingo" on TV this morning, I'd say that Filipino animation is "world class".
http://www.pasi.com.ph/
Wow, what a discussion that is continuing here! I've been out of town for a few days (watch soon for more info on my trip) and this thing is still alive!
Hi Teng – Thanks for your further comments on ISO.
Hi rick b – Indeed, it cuts into the national pride thing. That wasn't really my intention, but that's OK. I love the Philippines, and any remarks I made here are not intended to be anti-Philippines. I only want to see the place improve more!
Hi Matt – The problem with the tuna from GenSan, as I alluded in my article, is that it is a vanishing resource. Fishermen are having to travel very far, outside Philippine waters to catch tuna now, as Philippine waters have been way over-fished. I hope that they can revitalize the tuna in Philippine waters.
Hi Teng – I agree that unity is a very important goal for the Philippines to strive for!
Hi chas – I agree that the comments on this post are very passionate! They are also of a very high quality. The readers and participants on this site always offer some wonderful opinions!
Hi Athena – There is also a lot of hand weaving and such crafts going on here in Mindanao. You are right, everybody has certainly tossed in a lot of information, and good learning opportunities here!
Hi Paul – I've heard that about the San Mig. It sure is good here, though!
Hi Thomas and dans – That is the problem with OFW remittances. To much of that money is simply wasted by family here. They think that it's just easy for their relative to get that money, and don't value it nearly enough. Feyma has a cousin who worked for years in Egypt. She returned home to check on the investments that had been made with the precious money that she sent home over the years, only to find that it had been wasted! 🙁
Hi Randy C – I hate for the Philippines to be "world class" when it comes to exporting talent! Those people can stay here and improve the Philippines!
Hi Jio – You have a good list of things there that could help the Philippine advance more rapidly! Let's just hope that progress can be made!
Hi don – I agree about the Pineapple. When we lived in the States, we always checked the label, and took the Philippine product if available! Pride, you know! 😆
Hi Joe Parisi – It is very true that getting information here is very difficult! I have done the same as what you describe, and gotten the same results!
Hi don – Good luck with that vision! I hope it all works out for your family.
Hi Randy C – I have had up to 150 or 160 comments on a single post before! Amazing, huh? 😆
Hi chas – Ah, I really like that saying! It's very telling!
Hi Juan de la Best – I think somebody is playing games here! 😆
Hi Laurence – Interesting! 😆
I agree with bob and the others who mentioned that "bahala na or pwede na" habit needs to be gone in the mindset of most Filipinos. Erasing it from ones mindset will lead to success and prosperity.
Hehehe… the mangoes in the Philippines is the best one (miss it so much). Jon and I displayed the "Dried Mango made in Philippines" during the Cultural Festival in the school where we work. The students love it and keep coming back in our Philippines booth. So is the pineapple fruit and I think the durian back home are one of the best…I think we have awesome fruits back there.
Ohh… I'm bothered about the suggested Degree for house maid. I can't fathom why would one suggest a degree in becoming a housemaid. Worse of all, why would one get a degree about it. It advocates low self-esteem and degrading. As educator seeing people advocates the so called Bachelor of Science in Housemaid is bothering.
Hi Mady – Nice to hear from you, it's been a long time! Yes indeed, the fruits here are a national treasure!
I agree with you on the maid thing too, although I think that Dr. Long was just making a joke.
Hello Bob, It's been a long time since my last posting. I miss posting but I been very busy this year because of a different schedule at work compare to my previous one. In addition, I been trying to finish licensure requirements here. I will eat a lot of those fruits this summer he,he,he,he during my visit.
Hi Mady – I hope that we will be able to meet you when you visit this summer! I'm sure that you are looking forward to your trip! Give my best to Jon.
Hi Thomas #72 and Dans#73,With regard to Phils wealth being controlled by 5 or 6 wealthy families,this is not un common in other parts of the world and takes time to change.It was the same here in the UK 60+ yrs ago.We had the Aristocracy of families that owned most of the wealth and much influence in politics,the families were mainly related to our kings and queens,there were a few hundred such families.The majority of other people then were working class,tadesmen,farmers and labourers.Many opportunities came after the 2nd W/ War,many parts of the country had to be re built.A can do and nothings impossible attitude with better education standards was the key for the masses to improve their standard of living and personal wealth.Many of the old wealthy families went into decline through irresponsible,extravegant and incompetant sons and grandsons who were stupid with their inherited wealth and lost it all.However some still remain and are wealthier than ever,you can not eradicate them all.Although there is a common saying here "one generation creates wealth,2nd generation increases it and 3rd generation loses it".However, i appreciate the extreme difficulty that exists in phils to day for many to better themselves,but i'm sure change will come in time.Dispite difficulties there are still some rags to riches success's in Phils,i read one recently about Jack Dulnuan,checkout, http://www.inquirer.net Type into the inquirer search box,the business that jack built,when the search page appears scroll down a fraction until you see the title,interesting story.Regards Chas.
Hi Bob,I agree with your reply in #95 regarding OFW's.I watched a sad documentary the other day about OFW's in UK.One Filipina having worked here for 20yrs and trying to support family and 12 adult siblings had lost her job and been declared bankrupt owing over £40000/$80000 to credit cards and bank loans.She stated,i was the only one in the family working/living overseas,every week someone was asking for money and i could not say no.She has now told them,no more,i must get a life for myself and hopefully one day marry.It appears they just treated her as a cash cow,and her living conditions here could only be described as poverty, she had deprived her self of most things despite working regularly 7days a week,before losing her last job.Chas.
Hi chas – Unfortunately, I believe that the story about the lady is a very common occurrence. These OFW's go abroad and work hard, but their family just wastes the money. It's really a sad tale.
I think, the word "sacrifice" has been abused, this has to change, filipino OFW should draw a line and should know the difference between "helping" and "abusing"
that is one of the filipino traits i despise, you extend your arm to your family and they will grab your entire body.
as the saying goes..
" Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life."
Hi dans – I totally agree!
Good Day Everybody…
Can you imagine what would be like if the Philippines could be top of the rest of the Countries in the World?
1. Anybody Knows the Deuterium? found the Deepest of the Philippine Trench or Phil Deep?
I can Imagine at this point going back in time were all started, Phil is recognized as to be Potentially rich and economically stable Country… name it all. IT. Tech, ENgineering. Etc.
YOU KNOW WHY???? WE ARE SUPPRESS BY OTHER COUNTRY? IN WHAT WAY? SIMPLE — THEY DONT RECOGNIZED US.
OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, THEY SHOULD INITIATE SOMETHING THAT IS FEASIBLE IN A LONG TERM. VISION AND COMMITTED. IF WERE TALKING OF PROMOTING PHILIPPINE, IN SOMETHING.
IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR BRANDING AND STRATEGY WERE IF WERE TALKING OF MADE IN THE PHIL.
THE LAWS THAT WILL GOVERN ALL THIS IDEA ETC.
IF LITERACY SPEAKING FILIPINOS ARE ABLE.
WE ARE LIVING IN A COMPETING WORLD. AND OF COURSE MONEY AND BRIBERY IS THERE ALWAYS WITH OUR POLITICIAN. NOT OUR COMMONER FILIPINO PEOPLE.
SADLY WE ARE KNOWN FOR ANOTHER THINGS, FOR DAN I AM TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.