The Philippines will never improve while its self-perception is not aligned with REALITY

October 30, 2015

by FallenAngel

World class. Tourist haven. Investment darling. Friendly and hospitable people. Heart and a lot of fighting spirit. A positive and happy place. The list goes on and on about how the Philippines sees itself, and consequently, how it would like the rest of the world to see it. To Filipinos and Philippine society, keeping up images and projecting oneself in a “positive” light are of utmost importance.

Filipinos place a great emphasis on how they are viewed by others. The significance of this statement is indeed a lot larger than it seems at first. Once one has lived long enough in the Philippines, however, any positive image you may have will most likely be replaced, if not completely shattered.

Infrastructure is lousy. Traffic has become unmanageable. Public transportation is running on fumes. We still have a decrepit airport even if we’re not on the 2016 list of World’s Worst Airports anymore. The ongoing bullet-planting incidents, allegedly by airport personnel themselves, are not helping our reputation and image to tourism one bit. We are only too willing to scam visiting tourists because we perceive them as having a lot of money.

The ranking of the Philippines in the Ease of Doing Business index has not only slid down a few places compared to last year, it’s downright pathetic for a country in a region of high-achievers. Corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, government ineptness, government inability to honor contracts, and the restrictive business environment in the Philippines are some of the factors that negate any “positive” thoughts Filipinos may have about doing business here. In fact, some in the business community have been quoted as saying “It’s no longer fun to do business here”.

As one can glean from Filipinos’ reaction to the World’s Worst Airports and the Ease of Doing Business index, they are more concerned about the rank than they are about the actual improvements being done on the ground.

Filipinos are a friendly and hospitable people, only until you start criticizing anything about them. Regardless of who the criticism comes from, Filipinos will more often than not raise their middle finger whenever they are the target of criticism, or they are put in what they perceive as a bad light.

Believe me, there is a lot to criticize about the Philippines. Both locals and foreigners will agree with me here.

Filipinos treat those outside of clan and friendship lines with utter disregard. The prevailing attitude here is me-first. Regardless of whether Filipinos are on foot, or behind the wheel, they have this baseless sense of being more important than anyone else. Filipinos cut lines, ignore rules and regulations if they think they won’t get caught, and worse, will pick fights and play victim if you call them out on their misbehavior.

Heart and fighting spirit alone do not make a people improve if the brain is not present. There is a lot of fight, a lot of action in Philippine society, but there is also a lot of aversion to thinking, and a thick atmosphere of anti-intellectualism.

The Philippines may be a happy and positive place, only in the sense that Filipinos are predisposed to keeping a smile on their face and keeping a “positive attitude” in the face of adversity, but the state of the country today is hardly anything to be happy and positive about.

Filipinos are too full of themselves and have such high self-regard. What is lacking is any inclination towards doing the hard work of making sure their self-perception and their reality actually match.

It is easier to spin bullshit than it is to build a solid foundation. But true progress and improvement never did come easy, nor did they come by spinning bullshit and believing it.

The Philippines’ nakedness has been called out so many times. Yet it seems like in none of those times has the Philippines ever responded and stepped up to the challenge of fixing themselves. Instead, Filipinos lash out at and blame the one who points out their flaw and makes it their fault for not putting the Philippines in a positive light.

The Philippines is a land of opportunity – a land of wasted opportunity. A lot more will continue to be wasted unless Filipinos get rid of their unnecessary self-pride and self-regard. They must come to terms with the fact that they’ve got a lot of work to do in order to improve the Philippines from the dismal state it is in now.

And no, there will be no hero who will do everything for them and lead them to the better times on his own. Filipinos need to pull their own weight.

[Photo courtesy: 250news.com and the disgruntled democrat]

Why are you so negative? And other frequently asked questions answered

October 30, 2015

by Ilda

Every now and then, I get asked the same questions I have answered so many times before. I understand that not everyone will see my responses so I have compiled the frequently asked questions with my corresponding answers for everyone’s convenience:

1. When you highlight what is wrong in Philippine society, aren’t you being negative?

No, it is not being negative. It is actually the opposite. Philippine society will not mature or progress if we only focus on our strengths as a people. Filipinos also need to identify their weaknesses so they can work on these.

While some people find it uncomfortable to face our society’s flaws, we need to do it. Otherwise, we won’t be able to fix them or address them properly.

Filipinos cannot pretend that their society is perfect and they cannot run away from their problems. Their problems will always come back to bite them. They cannot keep ignoring for example, that the majority in Philippine society lack discipline. The Filipino people’s lack of discipline is quite evident in how they drive their vehicles and when they routinely break the rules particularly in the way they dispose of their garbage indiscriminately. The habit of littering shows lack of respect for the environment and their fellowmen. Lack of discipline leads to chaos and eventually, anarchy.

Therefore, highlighting what is wrong in Philippine society is being proactive in dealing with the problems head-on.

2. You are all talk but isn’t action better than talking?

Lack of discipline is evident in how Filipinos routinely break rules on the road.

Talking will lead to action – the right course of action. One shouldn’t do his or her job without first outlining what needs to be done. Builders do not just go out and dig a hole without first consulting a plan drawn up by architects and engineers. In fact, a lot of things in the Philippines like policies and infrastructure projects fail because they were not examined well enough to see if they could actually work.

In a lot of instances, experts were not consulted before a project was initiated. Likewise, due to patronage politics, the wrong man for the job (like a lawyer doing an engineer’s job) gets hired and so, consequently, quite often fails to deliver.

Things need to be thought through before action is mounted to avoid unnecessary waste of time and resources. More importantly, the right people need to be involved in the thinking process. Unfortunately, in the Philippines, those who get to “think things through” have no business being in that position. They were only put there because they have popular names or associated with those in power.

3. Why do you keep complaining and blaming the public servants?

Why not? If no one complains, the public servants will assume that they are doing a good job. Public servants are supposed to serve the public. They are not in their posts to be “admired” or showed deference to. It’s only in the Philippines where public servants are treated like celebrities. That’s because a lot of public servants are former celebrities or related to one. This is part of the reason why the Filipino public is beholden to their public servants. Another reason why the Filipino public in general is scared of complaining is because a lot of those in power have been known to use intimidation to scare anyone who complains.

In Philippine society, there is also a culture that can be described as “saving face”. The society is scared of being criticized for their failures. That’s why individuals who raise unpleasant issues get shamed by others and get labeled either tactless or rude. Never mind that raising concerns like abuse of power or disorderliness will benefit the rest of the public.

4. You have been criticizing the ills of Philippine society for years but how come there is no change in the way Filipinos behave?

A lot of Filipinos are in denial. They refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem. They are like alcoholics. It is very difficult to convince an alcoholic that he has a drinking problem. Besides, while the goal is to enlighten the majority, we cannot do it without the help of mainstream media. We can only reach people who have Internet access for obvious reasons. Our focus is in influencing the elite especially those who work in mainstream media. Once they start espousing our views, they will reach a wider audience. At the moment our message gets drowned out by the shallow programming and content of mainstream media.

5. Why can’t you write your articles in Tagalog so that the masses can understand them?

While it is good if more people can understand our message, it is actually a common misconception among Filipinos that the masses comprise only of Tagalog speakers. There are Filipinos from other regions who do not like the Tagalog language at all. This actually says a lot about the communication problem in the Philippines. It started when the late former President Manuel L. Quezon imposed Tagalog on the occupants of the entire archipelago including the non-Tagalog speakers. Not everyone was happy about it. He should have just stuck to imposing the use of either Spanish or English – both of which can be beneficial to country and individuals. But I digress…

It is hard to publish something that can be easily understood by the “common” Filipino because not all Filipinos speak and understand English and Tagalog fluently. I have to stick to the language I am comfortable with especially when expressing some complicated concepts I cannot express in Tagalog. Likewise, English is what the “elite” prefer to use. After all, the elite have the power to effect change in the Philippines. The members of the lower class only follow the elites’ lead.

The notion that the problem lies in the masses is not true because there are many people from the elite – those who have money and influence – who fail to live up to their responsibilities. They are the same people miseducating and misleading the masses. Therefore, the masses don’t constitute my primary target audience.

6. Why don’t you propose a solution to the Philippines’ problems instead of complaining?

The solution will present itself once we have identified the problem. Or as the saying goes, the first step to finding a solution is admitting we have a problem.

A solution to Filipinos’ lack of discipline, for example, is to enforce the rules. When rules are enforced, like imposing a penalty or jail time on offenders consistently, people will try to behave and eventually, the habit of following the rules will become second nature to Filipinos. This is precisely the reason why in mature societies, people behave even when law enforcement agencies are not around.

7. Why blame the voters for the performance of the public servants?

Public servants and politicians quite simply, form a reflection of the people. When public servants get away with incompetence, cheating and lying, it simply means the majority of Filipinos tolerate those kinds of behavior. They tolerate it because it has become part of their own lifestyle. They see nothing wrong with it or are resigned to the notion that they cannot do anything about it.

Incompetence means accepting that the public servants’ mediocre work “will do” or in the Filipino vernacular “pwede na yan”.

Filipinos have been cheated on and lied to for decades but they still vote for the same types of bozos every election. It simply means that the Filipino people have lost their moral compass and cannot tell right from wrong anymore. In a lot of cases during election period, some Filipinos can be bought and are therefore, also corrupt.

8. Why do you generalize? Not all Filipinos lack discipline.

Yes, not all Filipinos lack discipline but the majority does lack discipline. This is evident in the vast body of anecdotal evidence that supports these observations. The Philippines would have been a First World country by now if the majority did have discipline.

Generalize is not the same as making an assertion about all individuals. A generalization is a statement about the character or properties of a set or collective. But the statement does not necessarily hold true for all elementsof that set or collective.

We need to generalize the problem because we need solutions that address the needs and issues of the general public.

When we can accept generalizations like “Filipinas are the most beautiful women in the world” we should also be prepared to accept less-savoury generalizations like “Filipinos lack discipline”. It’s only fair, right?

LIFE MANAGEMENT

NEVER share your secrets with ANYONE…              This can be self-destructive. NEVER tell your problems to ANYONE…              20% don’t care, and              80% are glad that you have them !!!                Life is similar to Boxing game..              Defeat is NOT declared when you fall down;              It is declared when you refuse to ‘Get Up’!              Sometimes WRONG persons teach RIGHT LESSONS               Everything is valuable only at 2 times:              1.    Before getting it; and       2.    After losing it !!                 Two things bring happiness & success in life:              1.    The way you MANAGE when you have nothing, and          2.    The way you BEHAVE when you have everything !             Two places are MOST VALUABLE in the world:              1.    The NICEST place is to be in someone’s Thoughts, and     2.    The SAFEST place is to be in someone’s Prayers.                 One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.              Keep your face to the Sun,              And you will not see the shadow!                 A Deaf child says: “For all of you, I am deaf;              But for me, all of you are dumb…”              Moral: Life differs in each perspective.  Live the way you want to.               Attitude at its best:              My BACK is not a VOICE MAIL..              Kindly say on my FACE.                Ego is the only requirement to destroy any relationship.              Be a bigger person; skip the “E”, and let it “go”..!!              One good thing about Egoists:              They don’t talk about other people!   Do you know why God didn’t give us the gift to read others’ minds?              So that,              We could have the chance to “TRUST”,              And privilege to be “TRUSTED”!              As long as we don’t forgive people who have hurt us,              They occupy a RENT-FREE SPACE IN OUR MIND   We have solutions to all the problems,              When they are not ours !!!              I asked God: “If everything is already written in Destiny, then WHY should I pray?”              God smiled and said: “I have also written- CONDITIONS APPLY…”!!!              Empty pockets teach millions of things in life…              But full pockets spoil us in million ways !!!             Getting angry is punishing yourself for the mistakes of others!              Trust is like a STICKER.              Once it is removed, it may stick again,              But NOT as strong as it holds when you first applied it..!              Always take care of relations.                  Everything about the future is uncertain,              But one thing is sure:              God has already arranged all our tomorrows…              We just have to TRUST HIM TODAY !!          NEVER win people with Arguments, rather defeat with your Smile!              Because people who always wish to Argue with you, cannot bear your Silence !!!              The search for happiness is one of the main source of unhappiness.   Diplomacy is an art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that              they tend to ask you for directions..!!    If a drop of water falls on a Lake, its identity is lost;              If it falls on Lotus leaf, it shines like a Pearl.              Drop is the same; but the company matters.  Our HOPES should be like Hair & Nails.              No matter how many times they get cut,              But they never stop growing.    If you walk the way guided by humans, you will find hopeless end;              & if you walk the way guided by God, you will find endless hope.    Memories are always special…              Sometimes we laugh by remembering the days we cried;              And we cry by remembering the days we laughed…!!!              That’s Life!             Sea is common for all…              Some take pearls,              Some take fishes,              Some come out just with just wet legs!              World is common to all; what we get, is what we try for!    Life is very complicated…              When you have standards, people call it ATTITUDE;              When you are simple, people try to CHEAT you; &              When you cheat others, people call you SMART!                  To smile without condition,              To walk without intention,              To give without reason, &              To care without expectation,              Are the beauties of any Relation!         All communication problems are because              We don’t listen to understand;              We listen to reply…!!!    'There are many languages on earth, Smile speaks them all.' Keep Smiling J   Someone who Cares you to Smile.-

Top 10 Health Benefits of Guava and Guava Leaves

Guava is very common type of fruit in Asian countries, but is also readily available in western countries. The fruit is round or pear-shaped with light green, yellow or maroon skin and white or maroon flesh that contains many small, hard edible seeds. It is soft when ripe with a sweet, musky aroma and creamy in texture.

Apart from the distinctive flavor and fragrance, guava is actually a super fruit because of its numerous health-promoting qualities. Along with the fruit, the bark and leaves of guava trees also provide numerous health benefits.

Guava has a high content of vitamins C and A. In fact, one guava fruit contains 4 times more vitamin C than an average-size orange and 10 times more vitamin A than a lemon.

It also contains vitamins B2, E and K, fiber, calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium. With all the nutrition that it provides, guava hardly contains any fats. Moreover, it is one of the least chemically treated and sprayed fruits.

In different cuisines, this fruit is used as an ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. Guava juice is also a refreshing drink. You can also enjoy guava in sauces, candies, jams and jellies.

Here are the top 10 health benefits of guava and guava leaves.

1. Maintains Oral Health

Dental plaque is the principal factor in many oral health problems. The anti-plaque properties of guava leaves are effective in preventing and treating oral problems.

Herbalists recommend the use of tender leaves of guava (in paste form) to maintain oral hygiene. The leaves have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial properties that help reduce gum inflammation and leave your breath fresh and clean.

Plus, you can use guava leaves to cure toothaches, swollen gums and oral ulcers. You can also use the twigs of guava trees like a toothbrush or as a chewing stick for cleaning your teeth.

To maintain oral health, simply chew 1 or 2 tender guava leaves daily. You can also make a homemade mouthwash by boiling 5 to 6 tender guava leaves in water. Allow the solution to cool to a warm temperature and add some salt. Swish the mouthwash thoroughly around your mouth and teeth once or twice daily.

2. Improves Heart Health

According to a 1993 study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, regular guava fruit intake can help decrease blood pressure and blood lipids. This is due to its higher potassium, vitamin C and soluble fiber content. Potassium helps maintain a steady heartbeat and control high blood pressure, while vitamin C keeps the small blood vessels healthy.

In addition, the lycopene found in pink-fleshed guava helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who eat this fruit on a regular basis.

Drinking guava leaf tea prepared by steeping the dried leaves in hot water helps lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol) levels and triglycerides. This helps keep your heart and vascular system healthy.

3. Treats Diarrhea

Guava leaf tea may help inhibit diarrhea-causing bacteria. According to a 2008 study published in the Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo, guava leaf extract inhibits the growth of staphylococcus aureus bacteria, a common cause of diarrhea.

When suffering from diarrhea, drink guava leaf tea a few times a day. This tea will cause fewer stools, lessen abdominal pain, lessen watery stools and promote a quick recovery.

Guava fruit is also good for the digestive tract. Its antibacterial property helps clean the digestive tract, discouraging bacterial and microbial growth and its fiber content promotes digestion and proper excretion.

To prevent stomach-related problems, chew guava leaves or eat a raw guava daily.

4. Controls Diabetes

Chinese medicine has used guava for the treatment of diabetes for years. According to a 1983 study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, the hypoglycemic effect of guava juice is useful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

The rich fiber content and low glycemic index of guava are extremely beneficial for diabetic people. While fiber helps regulate sugar levels, the low glycemic index inhibits a sudden spike in sugar levels.

Eating 1 to 2 guavas without the peel can be helpful in maintaining your blood sugar level. Those who are at risk of developing diabetes can help prevent it by drinking guava leaf tea. To make the tea:

1. Dry the tender guava leaves and crush them into a powder.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of crushed guava leaves to a cup of hot water.
3. Cover and allow it to steep for 5 minutes, then strain it.
4. Drink this tea once daily.

5. Improves Your Immunity

Due to its high vitamin C content, guava plays an important role in improving your immunity. Your immunity is your body’s defense mechanism that protects it from numerous diseases and infections. In addition, guava’s anti-inflammatory action and its ability to inhibit inflammatory molecules like prostaglandins help keep you disease free.

Eat 1 guava daily to develop resistance against common diseases like coughs, colds and the flu. You can also enjoy guava in smoothies or salads, or drink a cup of tea made from guava leaves daily.

6. Lowers Risk of Cancer

The anticancer or antitumor properties of guava come from the compounds like lycopene, quercetin, vitamin C and various polyphenols present in it. These compounds work as potent antioxidants that help neutralize free-radical damage in the body, which can cause cancer.

According to a 2010 study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, researchers concluded that guava extract could help reduce the size of prostate tumors. In fact, regular intake of guava extract can help reduce the incidence of prostate cancer in men.

Regular intake of guava can also help prevent other types of cancer, including breast, mouth, skin, stomach, colon and lung cancer. 

7. Improves Vision

Vitamin A is essential for good eyesight and guava is a rich source of this vitamin. Vitamin A helps maintain a healthy, clear cornea and protects the cells in your eyes. Night blindness is one of the diseases associated with vitamin A deficiency. In addition, the vitamin C in guava promotes healthy capillaries and helps maintain proper functioning of retinal cells.

Regular intake of this fruit will help improve your eyesight. It can also help slow down the development of cataracts and macular degeneration, two common vision problems that occur with age.

Include raw guava or guava juice in your diet to enjoy good eyesight for years.

8. Stimulates Cognitive Function

You can keep your brain, one of the major organs of your body, healthy with guava. This superfood stimulates cognitive functions as well as sharpens your focus.

Being rich in vitamin C and other powerful antioxidants, this fruit helps nourish the brain and mental functioning. In addition, the vitamins B3 and B6 in guava help improve blood circulation to the brain.

The potassium in guava also helps maintain the electrical conductivity of the brain, which is important for improving thinking as well as recall capacity.

To give your brainpower a boost, do not forget to include this tropical fruit in your diet.

9. Keeps Skin Healthy

Guava, especially red guava, contains strong antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that can damage your body at the cellular level.

This can lead to signs of aging like wrinkled and saggy skin, dryness and a dull complexion. The vitamin C in guava stimulates production of collagen and elastin, the structural proteins that help keep your skin firm and elastic.

Moreover, the astringent properties in unripe guava and the guava leaves help improve skin texture, protect it from the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays and prevent problems like acne and pimples.

10. Regulates Thyroid Health

Guava is a good source of copper, which is important for thyroid health, one of the most important glands in the body for regulating hormones and organ system function. Copper helps control hormone production and absorption, which in turn regulates thyroid functioning.

This fruit also has potassium and powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can help improve thyroid functioning. Moreover, guava facilitates weight loss and improves energy.

To prevent thyroid-related problems, make guava fruit and guava leaf tea an important part of your diet.

Resources:

http://www.ijpbs.net/volume2/issue1/pharma/_5.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8383769
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580903407130#.VSUNhY6CzCM
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-46652008000100003&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6660217
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-7-9.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4127827/

This Is Who We Are 

October 27, 2015

A Filipino Explains The Filipino

Posted By: Lance  4 Comments

The following is a comment our site received recently, which hit a few points with me. So much so. I decided to make it an article. While the writer makes a few points (combined with the expected insults) towards our recent story regarding the economic collapse here. What caught my interest above all else. Was his insistence of speaking for every Filipino out there, as if he knew what everyone wanted. So go ahead and read it for yourselves. And then I shall give my closing argument. Enjoy:

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Thank you for such an insightful article. Though I agree with most of your observations, I do not agree that a collapse is inevitable. Also your tone is bit arrogant which is common for foreigners like yourself who think they know everything just because they come from the west.

Sure you may know about economics, but you clearly know nothing of the Filipinos and the Philippines. Living here has done nothing but make you sound like a twat who couldn’t make it in his own shitty country.

In any case, if the economy does collapse, do you think 95 percent of the country will care? Sure the rich may forgo the luxury car upgrade, God forbid actually have to sell off some assets, but the vast majority will be just fine.

You know why? Because for one we’re a resilient bunch. We’re a stubborn and stupid lot, but we survive. We’ve been ruled by mostly idiots starting with the Spanish and then taken up a notch by the Americans (we’re are still suffering from the sheer idiocy that you imparted on us– American style law and democracy), we have the worst traffic (in the cities), the slowest internet (which doesn’t stop us from breaking twitter records), no infrastructure/highest electricity (I.e. No nuclear plants, no fluoride in our drinking water), and not many factories (that further pollution, consumption and poor work conditions), not to mention the worst storms in the world. But we’ve weathered them and will continue to do so. Yes it’s a lot of suffering, but it’s this suffering that has made us tougher and more connected. So tough that we’re willing to live away from our families and our homes just so we can earn a little more and put family through school.

But for the sake of argument, let’s say we’re not tough enough to weather Another (wouldn’t be the first in my lifetime and I’m just 30) economic collapse. You still forgot that the sheer majority of Filipinos are daily wage earners. The masses don’t own any of the big companies. We don’t invest in index funds, or have portfolios. We don’t even keep that much in banks. We are mostly simple people, who are happy to have enough.

So yes, you may be right about an economic collapse. But the great majority of us care very little. If anything an economic collapse would rid of us of the filth that you foreigners have brought to our lands. Take the foreign companies and factories away and I’ll even give you the government for free. We’ll just go back to the agricultural economy that we were and should always have been if not for Western “civilisation and progress”. You see we never really needed you guys or your money. We have all the rich food producing land we need to survive while you keep writing stuff like this as if our lives were ending when in truth, it’s only you that’s afraid. You’re afraid that your cushy Western life in the tropics is over. No more beautiful women, good beer, great beaches, and year round warm weather.

I do sincerely want to thank you though. It’s this condescending tone foreigners take up with us talking about our own land that needs to be broadcast all over the Philippines, because it’s this kind of stuff that unites us. It’s these kinds of articles they make me want to reply.

With that, I hope I’ve helped you understand Filipinos a bit better. We’re sensitive and defensive when it comes to something we deeply love. Now, when did you say you were leaving?

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So what have you learned folks? Do you agree with his claims that you are all a resilient bunch? Maybe so? But let’s touch on a few of the key points he highlighted. And let’s take a closer look at what he said at the same time?

1. We’re a stubborn and stupid lot, but we survive. – He admits to his people being stupid. But blames the colonizers or ruling classes for that.
2. We have the worst traffic. – Claims this only occurs in the cities. When my personal, nationwide experience has engulfed me in some of the worst driving techniques known to man. Which brings us back to the stupidity claim.
3. The slowest Internet. – You all know (and complain) about the horrid services supplied by your Telco’s. Yet he is more concerned with reminding the readers of the importance of Twitter records. As if that’s going to fix your voice/data shitbox.
4. No infrastructure/highest electricity. – He claims no nuclear power plants. What about BNPP sitting there, unused for 30 years now? And why admit the water is sub-standard, due to the absence of fluoride?
5. Not many factories. – Your nation was a lot more industrialized in the past. Than it has been post EDSA. And who’s fault has that been? Certainly not anyone from the outside.
6. The worst storms in the world. – He stated you have weathered them. And will continue doing so. Of course you will. But does that mean, as a people, 4+ million of you should still be suffering in some way. Because your government has ignored your well being for the last 2 years? I think not.

And now. Last but not least. The cherry on the cake of his silliness. The two items I am sure most of you might find a bit strange.

• We’ll just go back to the agricultural economy that we were. – In his arrogance. He is actually claiming you’d have all been better off if no outsiders had ever showed up? As if the Philippines, being the heart of Asia, would have been completely bypassed throughout history? And where is all this “rich food production” he claims exists? If so. Why then, have you been importing rice as if it’s going out of style? Weren’t you a rice self sufficient nation in the 1970’s?
• We never really needed you guys or your money. – Really now? If we’d known you all felt that way to begin with. We never would have stopped by in the first place. Maybe we should have invested in Thailand. Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam sooner. At least they have a true, open door, free trade policy when it comes to FDI. Unlike your arrogant, self serving “Filipino first” 60/40 ownership guidelines. Which is the very reason no major players will evercome here. And that is exactly why there are no jobs here.

But that’s another story, in and of itself now. Isn’t it?

http://thestagnantfilipino.com/2015/10/a-filipino-explains-the-filipino/

Why Filipinos are no longer inspired by their future

October 26, 2015

by benign0

One sure sign that you are lost is when you suddenly realise in the course of a journey that you have ended up back in the same place where you had started off. It means that whilst you had expended valuable energy taking steps, those steps had not taken you any further from where you had originally set off.

On the above principle, we can say that Philippine society is a lost society. To the confronting question most often thrown about to assess the situation of our lot…

Has anything changed in the Philippines?

…most Filipinos will answer within a single breath:

Nothing.

All the same: The current crop of Philippine ‘presidentiables’ fail to inspire.

The fact that today’s so-called “activists” now rally behind the catch phrase “Never Again” is proof that the Filipino people have been running around in circles over the last 30 years.

And so, taking stock of those 30 years within which nothing new of much consequence to the wretched lives of the majority had been delivered by successive governments, it could be said that the idea of what the way forward is remains nebulous. Beyond “never again” there is hardly any semblance of a road map to a destination being discussed or evaluated in today’s political discourse. Indeed, even the destination itself remains undefined. Without that critical definition, the question…

What do we envision the Philippines will be in six years’ time?

…will never be answered by any politician.

The proof is in the devil’s details. Dig deeper into what any one of the presidential candidates grandstanding before the Filipino Voter today are saying and one will only find a void where substance should have been. There is nothing in what they say that describes any semblance of a vision for the Philippines six years hence.

A six-year plan is not a tall ask for a Chief Executive. Real strategic visions extend over the decades. Six year plans are stuff written by 20-year-old corporate interns — not by seasoned executives.

And yet, no such plan exists.

It’s hardly any surprise that Filipinos have become desperate. Without a way forward, Filipinos can only slog from one day to another looking out mainly for themselves. Indeed, the whole premise of being a “nation” rests on the notion that said nation is an on-going concern with an expected persistence extending to the long-term future. If Filipinos have it in their minds that the Philippines will essentially remain the same basket case over the foreseeable future, then there is, suffice to say, no need to be looking to that future. And so we see the result of that condition today. Filipinos have withdrawn from that future and now simply live by the day.

Nowhere is this sameness more evident in the crop of presidential candidates we see today. They are all the same bozos mouthing the same messages.

How then can we expect Filipinos to be inspired by their future?

Not a chance.

* * *

Source of hope: The phenomenal ALDub love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza

Last weekend, a huge crowd gathered at the Philippine Arena to witness what was essentially a big-budget Eat Bulaga episode. The extravaganza featured the long-awaited coming together of the phenomenal “ALDub” love team, Alden Richards and Maine ‘Yaya Dub’ Mendoza. As such, much of the show centred around the build-up and, over the remaining half of the time, the protracted mating dance live on-stage between the two under the glare of the limelight. Tens of millions of Filipinos gawked at this spectacle and sent out an equal number of tweets that catapulted the hashtag #ALDubEB Tamang Panahon to record-busting “trending” heights — an achievement that is a huge source of pride for many Filipinos.

How a pair of celebrities whose talents don’t go much beyond doing “dubsmash” videos (short selfie videos dubbed with famous sounds) and issuing flirtatious sound bytes at one another could capture the full attention of much of the Philippines for months has attracted a lot of analyses. Ultimately, however, the most remarkable aspect of this phenomenon is how such a mediocre media product as dub smashing love teams could actually capture such an enormous audience and leave the GMA Network (owners of the Eat Bulaga franchise) laughing all the way to the bank with their truckload of easy advertising and endorsement money.

Perhaps a desperately lost society such as that of the Philippines’ needs something to hang on to. It is quite unfortunate that the future is no longer an enticing enough hook for Filipinos to bite at.

This is the real challenge the Philippines’ political leadership needs to recognise. A lost person can be helped with a relatively simple set of tools — a compass, and a map. Even more ideal than that would be an expert guide. We are still waiting for someone to step up to that role for real.