Job Discussion Forums

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Why is the country in such a mess ? Talented people. Raw materials. Near the markets of the Paific Basin, but...........................

tttompatz · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 10:49 am Post subject:

Corruption at a level that would make Spain proud and makes Chinese corruption seem minor by comparison.

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rioux · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 880

The People Power Revolution (1986) was supposed to change all that.

kungfuman · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:53 am Post subject:

I agree. After my 8 day trip there I was wondering the same thing. The people obviously have pride and God and a work ethic.

Most spoke English and they didn't seem like a stupid people who ate white rice for 5000 years and bragged about it daily.

So what gives?

the country is beautiful (outside of Manila).

tatsuo1 · Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 75

The country's economics is controlled by a few very wealthy families. Everything else is trickle down, pay the corruption, and meager limited contracts for most employees.
At least that's my take on the situation over the past 8 years.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Studied this in Pol Sci seminars at uni in the 1960s. i have seen the reality over the last 40 plus years. It still puzzles me.

Captain_Fil · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:24 pm Post subject:

As someone who was born there and has traveled there 5 times, the economy is not that bad.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/28/business/global/philippine-economy-set-to-become-asias-newest-bright-spot.html?pagewanted=all

Of course, there is still poverty. But that is true of any other country.

I was there last April and May. I noticed new construction, new highways and new modern malls. Recently, NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) opened Terminal 3 - a super-modern facility for foreign airlines.

The Philippines is improving. I've seen it with my own eyes.

Cool

rioux · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 880

I'm not sure Captain. Those things may look nicer but the economic life for millions of Filipinos is really terrible. What do they pay the workers who build the bridges and improve the highways? Peanuts
A saleslady works all day (8~9 hour days) at SM or Robinson's for 250 pesos (about 6 American dollars) not per hour but for the entire day!. That's so awful.

tatsuo1 · Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 75

The wealthy benefit from much of the new construction. Foreign investment? That's a laugher! 51% of a company in the Philippines must be owned by a Filipino.
Supposedly, the education system will change from 10th grade high school to a 12th grade high school. We will see. But at least the Philippines can be proud of being the last country to change this now that Myanmar has gone this route.

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

It's not so bad. The current President, Noy Noy (Benino Aquino) is doing a lot to fight corruption and other features that held back the Philippines in the past.

There is a rising middle class. I see this every time I go the Philippines (at least once a year). The top universities in Manila (UP Diliman, De La Salle, Santo Thomas, Ateneo, and others) produce very good quality graduates in all fields.

I myself attended University of the Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB) and they have a world famous program - a PhD in 'Development Communication.' The point of all this is that education is key, and they are churning out well qualified graduates, right there in the Philippines. The problem is that most of those graduates do not land the jobs they are qualified for, and there is a brain drain, which does not help matters on the domestic front.

In fact, in the Gulf countries, the Filipinos' contribution is immense. I compare the Philippines with Nepal, another favourite country - and I feel Nepal is way behind in terms of development and prospects.

Ghost in Saudi